


Ticket to Ride

by commandercrouton



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Carnival Games, Carnival Rides, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Minor cursing, Tags to be added, ben in plaid is all i ever want, ben makes a terrible first impression, county fair, just let them bang, just let them love each other, minor jealousy, rey's accent is sexy to him, scavenger hunt, sexual acts in a ferris wheel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2020-06-24 05:55:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19717573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandercrouton/pseuds/commandercrouton
Summary: Ben isn’t one for bonding experiences. He’s more than a Solo in name. It’s who he is, personality-wise. Which is why it’s such a problem his parents suggest a “team-bonding” experience for this year’s company outing at the county fair.So what if he gets paired up with Rey. It's not like they are going to get past the animosity between them. Right?





	1. Ticket to Ride

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shuhannon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuhannon/gifts).



> Hi everyone! This is my new fic for the Plaid Paramour exchange. I was lucky enough to have the "county fair" prompt from Shuhannon, and I really hope you like what I did with the piece! I'm thinking this will be about 5 chapters??? Anyways, thank you for giving this a chance!
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

Ben isn’t one for bonding experiences. He’s more than a Solo in name. It’s who he is, personality-wise. Which is why it’s such a problem his parents suggest a “team-bonding” experience for this year’s company outing at the county fair. 

The sweltering sun beats down on the group of employees as they all stand around waiting to hear who their partner for the day is. The prize – an extra week of paid vacation at his family’s beach house. The fact that his parents wanted to offer up their home to complete strangers is a mystery to him. 

It must help soothe their parenting woes to pretend to be parental figures to this band of misfits, because he can count on one hand the number of times his parents took him to the beach house. Even fewer if you count when they stayed the whole time. 

Moving his dark hair out of his eyes, he feels damp beads of sweat forming on his brow. The smell of food deep-frying and farm animals fills the air, and he wrinkles his nose in disgust. 

“Ben Solo and…,” his father’s voice trails off, pulling another name from the fishbowl that’s scattered with the names of the employees at their manufacturing company. Ben does his best to ignore the collective gasp of the employees left, and the way they all stare at one another awkwardly. He knows what they think of him. The entitled son who came crawling back to his family after years of silence. So what if they don’t want to be paired up with him? He doesn’t even want to  _ be _ here. 

“Rey Niima,” his father continues as if he didn’t just cause Ben’s life to flash before his eyes. 

The woman in question meets his gaze with a defiant glare and jaw set. 

It’s safe to assume Rey remembers the first time they met. Well fuck. 

This is going to be fun. 

_ Note to self: Murder Han later. _

Rolling up the sleeves of his flannel shirt, he stands firm, forcing Rey to make her way over to him. Point one for him at least.

“Niima, what a pleasure. Find any more parents to steal attention from?”

“I don’t know, Kylo, how’s your Lord of Darkness persona going?” she spits back.

He feels the tips of his ears flush as she brings up the emo alter ego he made up as a teenager. 

“Where did you hear that name?”

“What’s the matter, Kylo? Haven’t taken over any galaxies lately?”

Ben bites the inside of his cheek, the tangy taste of blood filling his mouth. “What did Leia show you?” He quietly asks her, stepping forward in an attempt to intimidate her.

“It wasn’t Leia.” Her smile sends chills down his spine. “Han showed me your teenage bedroom last time I was over. Nice bedsheets by the way. Bet you scored a ton with the Star Trek logo.”

Damn. Point to Rey.

“Listen here you little Scavenger –”

“Ben, do you have something you’d like to share?” Han’s voice brings him out of the conversation.

“It wasn’t me, it was her,” he attempts to defend himself, knowing how petulant he sounds.

“Oh really Ben, blaming me. That’s not fair,” she pouts.

She actually  _ pouts _ . She’s good. Her plush pink lips look a little too succulent and her eyebrows furrow a little too cutely. 

“Ben, leave Rey alone,” Han admonishes him before turning back to address the room.

His jaw drops, and anger simmers below the surface of his skin, begging to overflow and spill out of him. Rey has the audacity to smirk at him before giving his father her full attention. 

Ben glares at her form from behind, hoping his stare will burst her three bun hairstyle into flames. She’s always had that same hairstyle, regardless of what the weather is like. He would rather eat a roach than admit that he finds the hairstyle endearing on her. It makes her look innocent, but he knows the truth. His little kitten has claws, and she would not hesitate to scratch and attack anything in her way.

His eyes trail lower, taking in her white tank top with thick straps that show off her toned arms. Her shirt is tucked into her high-waisted cut-off shorts, giving everyone an ample view of her pert ass and long legs. Her calves disappear into her cowboy boots, broken-in and tainted with dirt. Her sun-kissed skin fits in perfectly with the aesthetic of the fair. If Ben looks closely, not that he is, he can see the freckles scattered all over her skin. A traitorous thought causes him to wonder if she’s marked by those freckles everywhere.

Staring at his own dark wash jeans, he kicks a rock with the toe of his own cowboy boots, doing his best to ignore the bad feeling that creeps up on him. 

“Now that all the teams are assigned, we will tell you the point of today’s team bonding exercise. You and your teammate must work together to solve the riddles that are scattered throughout the carnival. It will eventually lead you to the final location, where we will enjoy the cookout and drinks under the firework display. The first team who arrives will win the extra week’s vacation. Here’s the catch – with each step there is one less clue available, which means a team will be eliminated each round. For those that are disqualified, the fair has some great rodeo shows you can enjoy! My wife, Leia, has the first clue and she will begin passing it out to each team. Good luck, and may the best team win!”

“Mom, you didn’t really let Han plan this, did you?” He gently plucks the tiny toy capsule from his mother’s palm. Rey promptly steals it from him and pops the blue lid open, pulling out a piece of paper.

Leia bites back a smile as she watches the two partners. “You two be careful – and try not to kill one another. Han would hate to have his favorite employee murdered at the company picnic.”

“Hear that Kylo? Han would miss me,” Rey teases, her hazel eyes raking over the clue as Leia moves on.

Ben blusters at the insinuation and steals the clue from her in retaliation.

“Hey!” The indignation in her voice almost causes him to laugh.

“‘ _ I think I’m gonna be sad,”  _ he reads _. “‘I think it’s today, yeah. The girl that’s driving me mad is going away.’  _ Rey – the obvious answer here is you leaving.” He thinks he sees a flash of hurt shine through her eyes before they settle back into the cold and stony stare she reserves for him. 

Turning around on the heel of her boots, she walks away, not even bothering to look back to see if he’s following. 

The nerve.

“Where are you going?” The stomp of his boots on concrete signals Rey he’s catching up to her. 

“To find the answer to the clue,” she answers before mumbling under her breath, “obviously.”

“You think your accent would make your snarky comments sound cuter, but sadly, it just makes you seem more fiery.” 

“I’ll be sure to sound cuter for your benefit only.” Her tone is dry and sarcastic. He has to hand it to her, she always gives as good as she gets.

“How are we going to get the answer to the riddle? It’s just a Beatles song.”

“Right, and what’s the name of said Beatles song?”

His lips part as realization dawns on him. “Ticket to Ride,” he breathes.

“Yep. You go to a carnival, you need tickets.”

“You’re smarter than you let on, little Scavenger.”

“That must have hurt.”

“What?”

“Paying a compliment that didn’t fluff your ego.”

Ben’s eyebrows scrunch together as he lets the scowl he was fighting throughout their conversation overtake his face. Of course, she only thinks of him as a stuck-up, egotistical jerk. It’s not like he’s given her anything else to go off of. 

“You’re not all sunshine and rainbows yourself, you know.”

“Listen here Solo,” she threatens, stopping in front of him, forcing him to pause too unless he wants to knock her over...on second thought – but she continues. “I am not letting you ruin this for me. I work hard, and I earned that extra week off. Just because you get to go to the beach house whenever you want, doesn’t mean us normal people have access to it. So let’s just get this over with, and try not to be stuck with one another longer than necessary. Got it?” 

Ben has to admit, he’s impressed by the way she stands her ground. Her hands are on her hips, barely an inch between them. Her chest heaves up and down, and an angry flush causes her freckles to stand out. Her pupils are blown wide, and they stare at one another...almost as if...as if...there is  _ something  _ between them.

Just as soon as he realizes what it could be, she steps away from him, causing the tension between them to dissipate into the heat as if it was never there to begin with. 

She quickly makes her way to the ticket booth, leaving him in the dust.

“Hello, we are with the Falcon Company, and we need tickets, please.”

Ben watches in utter fascination as her cold demeanor quickly changes to one full of warmth and light for the complete stranger. The persona she reserves for everyone except him. 

“Yes, welcome! Your boss left strict instructions you will have to sing the clue.”

“Excuse me?” Rey blinks rapidly, unsure if she heard correctly.

“It’s true. The very cute couple even did a dance with it,” the worker grins.

“Cute couple?” Ben asks.

“Finn and Poe. The only couple that got to work together. I think Poe bribed Leia. They are so cute, it’s disgusting. Alright Solo, sing for the woman.”

“Ha!” he barks out. “You wish, Sweetheart.”

“I’m not singing it.”

“Well, I’m not either. Besides, aren’t the Beatles a British staple? You owe it to them, for your country!”

“Are you kidding me right now? I don’t even remember that bloody country!” She stomps her foot like some fractious two-year-old in need of a nap.

“Um, excuse me,” the worker attempts to interject. “I just need someone to sing this. I only have one left, otherwise, you will have to go to the other ticket booths, and there is another team headed your way.”

Both Rey and Ben’s heads swivel behind them to see Kaydel and Rose walking towards them, breaking out into a sprint. Glancing back at one another, Ben raises his eyebrows and motions with his arm for Rey to step forward.   
  
“You’re a monster,” she hisses.

“Yes. I am.”

With a disgruntled huff, her soft voice fills the air. “I think I’m gonna be sad. I think it’s today, yeah,” she quietly sings.

“Louder Sweetheart. We can’t hear you.”

With a huff, she raises her voice for the next part. “The girl that’s driving me mad, is going away. She’s got a ticket to ride. She’s got a ticket to ride,” her lilting voice elongates the last word. 

He smiles softly at her annoyed face. “You have a pretty voice.”

“Don’t tease me, Solo,” she shoves past him, reaching her hand out to the worker.

“Here are your bracelets. This will give you access to all the rides. Please don’t lose them, as they are not replaceable. And here is your clue. You two have a great day!”

He drops another toy capsule, this time with a yellow lid, into Rey’s hand. She opens it and looks at the clue. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, making it apparent that she has no idea what the answer to the next clue is.    
  
“What’s it say?”

“I don’t respond to rudeness.” She folds the piece of paper in her small hand before he can read over her shoulder.

“Please.” He said it as if it pains him, but the smile she gives him is worth it. 

Unfolding the crisp white paper, she reads aloud. “With hair as dark as night, and lips as red as blood. This princess was awoken by a charming kiss after eating a bite of this.”

“That’s easy. Apples.”

“Apples? How did you get apples from that shoddy clue?” She asks as she trails behind him.

He spares her a glance. “Did you never read fairy tales growing up? It’s about Snow White. Hair as dark as night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow. Ran away from an evil stepmother and moved in with the seven dwarves.” 

Her silence is not encouraging.

“You know. Snow White. Her stepmother, the Queen, tried to kill her by giving her a poisoned apple. She fell into a deep sleep, but a charming prince woke her up with a kiss.”

“Why would her mother want to kill her?”

“Stepmother,” he corrects, “and because she was jealous, She wanted to be the fairest in the land, but her stepdaughter was growing more and more beautiful. You seriously never heard of this?”

“No one ever told me fairy tales growing up,” she answers quietly.

Ben’s steps falter at her admission. Right. She’s an orphan. He’s instantly transported back to the night they met.

_ “So have you always been a parent stealer or just my parents?” _

_ “Ben!” his father scolds him. _

_ “Calm down, Han. She knows I’m joking,” his speech is slurred, letting everyone know just how drunk he is.  _

_ “Ben, I’m sorry if you have a problem with me. I just want to clear the air,” Rey responds, awkwardly clutching her fork.  _

_ He just laughs and reaches for the glass of whiskey in front of him. Apparently, these family dinners were commonplace with Rey in his place. He never got the weekly dinners with his parents growing up, so why did she? _

_ “They are my parents, alright? Go get your own.” _

_ “Ben, that is enough,” Leia interjected. “Apologize.” _

_ “Fine, I’m sorry your parents left you. They sound like wonderful people. Just about as good as these two sitting at the table with us.” _

_ “Oh fuck off, you twat!” Rey yells, slamming her silverware on the table. “Sorry, Han and Leia. I have to go.”  _

_ The sounds of the chair scraping against the hardwood floor as she makes her way into the kitchen is the last thing Ben remembers that night.  _

Bringing himself back to the present, guilt assuages him as he takes in her small form. It’s as if he’s really seeing her for the first time. Unsure of what to say, he clears his throat. 

“Fairy tales are overrated anyways. You didn’t miss much.”

He watches her from the corner of her eye as she bites her lip, a sign that she’s uncomfortable with the topic at hand. 

“So apples, huh?” she says, her voice taking on a fake quality. It reminds him of the color dyes used to make frosting at the store. It looks delicious, but the taste is chemical and sordid. 

“Yep, you and I are going bobbing for apples.”

“I’ve never done that before!” She smiles. It’s a true smile. One she’s never given him before. He treasures it more than he realized he would.

“You will if we can find it. Come on.” His large hand gently wraps around her bicep; the feeling of skin on skin contact is warm and distracting. He feels her shiver underneath his touch. His male pride whispers he was the cause of the delightful goosebumps that are now covering her tanned skin. Pleasure and excitement run through him in thinking about how this fiery and beautiful woman – because yes, he can admit she’s beautiful – had a visceral reaction because of him. 

Until the moment she pulls away from him. 

In just a moment, he’s thrust back to reality. They are just two people trying to survive this stupid company picnic. 

Thrusting his hand in his pocket, he fights the urge to touch her again. 

\----

The sights and sounds are overwhelming. Screams of joy and terror fill the air around her. Everywhere she looks, there’s something new to see. She feels giddiness bubble throughout her body, eager to escape. She wishes she was with Finn right now. She’d even take Poe. She’s never been to a fair before. Everything she knows about the fair was stuff her and Finn had researched ever since they found out where the company’s picnic was being held this year. 

The only downside of today is who she is stuck with. 

Ben Solo.

A sideways glance has her eyeing his strong forearms that are displayed proudly thanks to the folded sleeves of his flannel shirt. His pale skin is flushed from the heat. A part of her knows she finds him attractive, but that isn’t enough to erase their first meeting from her mind.

She remembers being nervous. Leia and Han talked so much about Ben, their son who never called or visited, but was busy being an amazing trader on Wall Street. Their prodigious son who was finally coming home to take his place at the family company.

Her insecurity told her Han and Leia wouldn’t want her around once he came back, but Finn assured her she was being crazy. He’d been so sure she and Ben would hit it off. 

To say that was the complete opposite of what occurred was an understatement. She would never admit to him how she’d cried silent tears as she made her way back to her apartment. Ben would never know that she’d held both Finn and Poe back from going over and pummeling him to a pulp. Though she secretly wanted it to happen, a part of her knew Ben could take them both on, drunk or not. 

She risks another glance at his form. He iss  _ huge. _ Looking at Han and Leia, she doesn’t understand where the size came from, but it looks good on him. Leia showed her pictures of him growing up. He’s filled out nicely everywhere – except for those ears. If she stars hard enough, she can see flashes of his ears underneath his thick locks. 

“What’s that?” she asks, before quickly shutting her mouth.

Ben quirks an eyebrow at her, following her gaze to stare at the booth in question.

“That’s the Milk Bottle booth. You are supposed to knock over the stack of bottles, but it’s a waste of money. Totally rigged.”

“Oh.” She does her best to hide the disappointment in her voice, but she must fail terribly because Ben makes his way over to the booth.

“How much?” he asks the carney. 

“Five bucks will get you three chances,” the worker responds, bored. He picks at his nails, standing by the fan.

“We’ll take two.” Ben pulls his wallet out of his back pocket and thrusts a ten into the worker’s hand.

“Kylo, you don’t have to. It’s fine,” she mumbles, embarrassment creeping up her neck.

“Stop calling me Kylo, and I may even give you the stuffed animal when I win.” He winks.

Rey feels her heart stop for just a minute before it restarts at about a hundred beats per minute. She’s sure he can see her pulse at her neck. Was he  _ flirting  _ with her? No, that wasn’t right. He hates her. 

She wills her blush to disappear as she takes the three baseballs from the man. “Well, when I win, I may give you a stuffed animal, but only if you promise to be nice the rest of the day,” she teases back.

Great. Now she’s flirting back. 

She’s pleased to see the tips of his ears turn pink. 

“You’re on, Scavenger.” Rotating his arm with the baseball in hand, he warms up his shoulder as he gets used to the weight of the ball. A quick toss causes the baseball to go to the right and miss its mark.

“Pity, Kylo. I thought you were on the baseball team in high school.”

“I’m just warming up.”

“Sure you are.”

“Alright, let’s see you try. We each take a turn then.” 

Rey smirks, tossing the baseball in the air before throwing it at the bottles. It hit its mark, but the bottles stand tall, mocking her. “What the fuck?” she mutters. “I hit it!”

Ben lets out a laugh as he watches her face contort in disbelief. “Told you it isn’t that easy, Sweetheart.”

“Drunk Last Night” by the Eli Young Band plays through the tent’s speakers. Ben is surprised to hear Rey humming along to it. There’s something disarming about hearing a British woman knowing country music.

“You’re staring, Kylo,” she says, not looking at him, throwing another ball at the tower of bottles. 

She watches in fascination as the tips of his ears grow hot as he schools his features into something more casual. “I thought we agreed you would call me Ben.”

“I don’t see you knocking down anything,  _ Kylo _ .”

Rolling his eyes, he tosses another baseball, aiming for dead center. 

The clatter of bottles falling causes him to grin smugly. He almost crows in delight, until he realizes the bottles that fell are hers.

She shrieks in delight as she jumps in his arms, laughing giddily. “I did it!”

Startled by their warm bodies pressed together, he almost drops her.

“You did,” he whispers proudly in her hair. 

“I didn’t think I would, but I did!”

Her joy is contagious. He laughs along with her before setting her back down. Both their cheeks are colorful, trying to fight the blush forming on both their faces.

He clears his throat, trying to let the awkwardness now surrounding them dissipate. “Not bad,” he teases.

“Still better than you.”

“I still have one more left.”

“Go ahead. The audience is waiting.”

Ben lines up his shot, taking a deep breath before taking aim. This is it. This is the one that would give him the win. This was the —

“Miss!”

“Shit!” he curses, the ball swerving, almost knocking the worker on his ass.

Rey’s mischievous laughter fills the air.

“What was that?” He scolds her.

She has the nerve to shrug as if she did nothing wrong. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Congrats on winning. What prize do you want?” The worker walks over, putting a stop to their conversation.

Rey peruses the options before settling on a bird-shaped stuffed animal.

“What is that?” Ben asks, staring at it with disgust.

“It’s a porg,” she cries out indignantly. “It’s cute.”

“It looks like someone needs to cook it.”

Turning around, she stomps off, clutching the stuffed animal to her chest. She does her best to ignore the hurt feelings welling in her chest. This is stupid. Of course he doesn’t want the stuffed animal. It’s just a joke. He wasn’t nice, and she will always be the girl who took his parents from him. 

“Rey, wait! Where are you going?” 

She hears his steps fall in line behind her.

“Come on, Kylo. We have a prize to win.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eyeing a particularly large apple that should be easy to retrieve, he takes a deep breath and plunges his head in the disease-ridden water. Warmth instantly surrounds his face, and he fights the urge to gag. The apple bobs away, floating on the rippling water. Ben fights back a groan, pulling his head back as he eyes the apple he plans to steal.
> 
> “I don’t think you should go for the large ones.” He looks up to find Rey to the right of the tub.
> 
> “Would you like to try?” His voice comes out harsher than he intends.
> 
> Her lips set in a thin line, and she keeps quiet. Tampering down the guilt, he tries again for the large apple. Again, he fails.
> 
> He risks a look at Rey, and he can tell she is fighting a grin. She is enjoying watching him continuously dunking his head in this gross ass water. All because he made her sing that stupid song for the first clue. 
> 
> Squashing his pride, he lets his eyes roam over the other apples, signaling out the smallest one. It can easily fit inside his mouth. He can do this. Lowering his head over the water, he aims for the gleaming red apple, closes his eyes, and submerges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long update! I was trying to get other stuff out of my brain, but I plan on focusing on this to wrap it up for my lovely Shuhannon.
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

It takes Rey and Ben three tries before they find the correct booth. Both of them eye the murky water in mild disgust. 

“Go ahead, Rey.” Ben motions her forward.

She looks into the cloudy water, much like Snow White peers into the wishing well. “I think not,” she retorts.

“I’m sorry, weren’t you the one excited not even twenty minutes ago to participate in this activity?”

“That was before I realized it is a cesspool of germs. People spit in that!”

Her nose wrinkles and she steps back from the black tub where the innocuous red apples float. 

“I don’t mean to rush you, but there are other people in line. Can one of you please decide who is going?” 

The new voice invading on his private conversation with Rey causes Ben’s irritation to spike. Turning around, he faces a woman with blonde hair, holding her ticket tightly.

“Trust me, lady, I don’t think either one of us would want to prevent you from diving into that dirty water, but we were here first. Back off.”

The irate woman opens her mouth in horror, and Rey steps in to quickly apologize. 

“Please forgive him. They just recently let him out of the house. As you can see, his parents were unable to impart any of their manners and charming personality upon him.” Rey dazzles her with a wide smile that showcases her dimples. 

Ben almost finds himself nodding along to the extremely rude lie she made about him as an excuse for his behavior. 

“Kylo, I did the first one. This one is all you,” she continues to talk, still smiling at the woman behind them.

She’s right. He knows it is the right thing to do. There are unspoken rules when it comes to teammates. Ben tells himself it’s because he knows he doesn’t want Rey to tell his parents about his behavior – it has everything to do with what is right. 

He sighs as he thinks he is the living embodiment of the ‘Sure Jan’ gif. His hand swiftly grabs Rey’s wrist, ignoring her indignant look as he pulls a hair tie from her wrist. 

“Can you tie my hair back, please?” He asks as he turns around, his back facing her. His left arm reaches over his shoulder to hand her the hair tie.

Rey looks at him, a slightly befuddled expression on her face before she utters a small  _ sure _ . 

“Could you, uh, bend down? I can’t reach,” she explains.

Wordlessly, he bends his knees to what he assumes is an easy height for her to pull back his shaggy hair. Tentative fingers begin to card through his thick locks. His hair is soft, bereft of tangles, and just as luscious as it looks. She allows her nails to graze his scalp lightly as she does her best to gather his hair in a small ponytail. 

Ben is surprised how good it feels to have Rey thread her fingers through his hair. Feeling his eyes flutter shut, he is lost in the sensation. A groan threatens to escape his mouth as she continues to gather his hair. The sexually pent up part of his mind begins to wonder what it must feel like to have her fingers in his hair for an entirely different reason. 

The moan that escapes his lips at the image in his mind is unwilling, causing them both to freeze. 

Heat pools in Rey’s lower stomach at the sound, and she knows this is dangerous territory. If Poe was here, he would tell Rey the hatred she feels for Ben could be construed as passion. No. This is not what that is. The hair tie is still dangling from his fingers, and she snatches it away from him and hastily ties his hair up, stepping away once she is satisfied.

The minute he feels her step away from him, he begins to unbutton his flannel, thankful for the white undershirt he decided to wear underneath. 

“Sir, this is a family establishment!” 

Ben rolls his eyes at the woman who complained earlier, fighting the urge to snap at her. He knows Rey wouldn’t like it.

“Will you just hush?” Rey’s voice comes out a little breathless. 

Huh. Maybe she does not mind shutting that annoying woman down. His ears try their hardest to listen to the sounds of her breathing, hoping he can discern some clue as to why she sounds so out of breath as he is unbuttoning his shirt.

“Can you hold this for me?” Not waiting for an answer, he places the flannel into her hands.

The cool air of the fan placed underneath the tent to offer relief from the stifling heat hits his now bare arms, causing goosebumps to erupt over his forearms. Bending over the black tub, he stares at his distorted reflection. Wisps of black hair fall out of the ponytail, and his eyes have a resolute look to them. 

“Remember what they said. You just have to get one, and then we get the next clue. You can do this, Ben,” Rey’s voice speaks from behind him. He can feel the weighted stare from her behind his back, and he knows he won’t let her down. 

Eyeing a particularly large apple that should be easy to retrieve, he takes a deep breath and plunges his head in the disease-ridden water. Warmth instantly surrounds his face, and he fights the urge to gag. The apple bobs away, floating on the rippling water. Ben fights back a groan, pulling his head back as he eyes the apple he plans to steal.

“I don’t think you should go for the large ones.” He looks up to find Rey to the right of the tub.

“Would you like to try?” His voice comes out harsher than he intends.

Her lips set in a thin line, and she keeps quiet. Tampering down the guilt, he tries again for the large apple. Again, he fails.

He risks a look at Rey, and he can tell she is fighting a grin. She is enjoying watching him continuously dunking his head in this gross ass water. All because he made her sing that stupid song for the first clue. 

Squashing his pride, he lets his eyes roam over the other apples, signaling out the smallest one. It can easily fit inside his mouth. He can do this. Lowering his head over the water, he aims for the gleaming red apple, closes his eyes, and submerges.

Seconds later, his head springs out, splashing water over Rey. He ignores her squeal as he proudly turns to face her, the small apple clenched tightly between his teeth. Standing up, he drops the apple into his hand and walks proudly to the carnival attendant. 

“Here is the apple, as requested.” Reaching up, he unties his hair and lets it fall back down, patting it down over his ears especially. He realizes belatedly his ears were on display just for Rey to see. He can feel himself blushing, knowing she just saw his worst physical attribute. Was that why she sounded so off after his hair was put up? Perhaps she was trying to hide her shock at seeing his large ears. 

Abashed, he looks at the ground as he takes his shirt back from her, walking away to put it back on. Sliding his arms into the sleeves, he can already feel the stifling heat surround him. Leaving his shirt unbuttoned, he turns to make his way back to Rey, already seeing the next clue in her palm.

“So what does this one say?” he asks as he meticulously rolls up his sleeves, displaying his tanned forearms.

Rey does her best not to stare, and instead fiddles with the lid on the case, pulling out the folded piece of paper. Her forehead begins to wrinkle in confusion. “It’s me?”

He freezes mid-roll and just looks at her. “It’s you,” he repeats, staring at her with a smirk on his face.

“That’s what I said.” 

“Hey, no need to get so defensive. I was just wanting clarification. Please explain how  _ you _ are the answer,” he questions, stepping closer to her, caging her in against the folding table.

“Step away from me,” she growls.

“Why? Scared of something, Scavenger?”

“You wish, Kylo.”

Standing only a couple of inches apart, Ben takes in her parted lips, her chest heaving in anger, and her narrowed hazel eyes. He knows he has never seen anything more beautiful than the way she is staring him down right now.

“Um, can you guys leave now? You are scaring the other guests,” the worker timidly interrupts them.

Stepping back from her, he snatches the clue from her hand before she can say anything. The paper is shiny, reflecting off the tiny droplets of sunlight that filter through the holes in the tent. His reflection is staring back at him, and he knows just where they have to go next. 

“Come on Scavenger, follow me,” he says, walking out from underneath the tent. 

He hears her muffled steps pounding against the grass as she quickly matches his stride. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” he answers instead, looking over at her and giving her a charming smile. He wants to think the blush forming on her cheeks is from him, but it could just be from the heat.

“Alright, lead the way, Ben.” Looping her arm through his as she clutches onto the porg, she gives him a small smile as they make their way to the next destination. 

Calming his racing heart, he gives her a tentative smile in return as they walk around the fairgrounds, looking like a normal couple.

\-------

Rey eyes the building with concern as she takes in the funhouse in front of her. The vibrant colors and lights shine as she takes in the laughing clown on the sign.

“I am not going in there,” she states.   
  
‘What happened to ‘that trip is mine, and you won’t stand in my way?’”

“That was before I had to walk into a clown’s mouth to win it. Nope. No way in hell. I’ll have a staycation. Finn can make margaritas. I’ll be fine. Thanks for everything, Solo.” She backs away from the building with purpose, waving goodbye to him. His hand reaches out, gently wrapping around her wrist. She glances down at the contact in wonder. She never knew someone so large could handle her like she was made of porcelain.

“What’s the matter? Don’t tell me you are afraid of clowns,” he teases.

Her face morphs into a scowl as she crosses her arms. She refuses to answer. There is no way in hell she will ever answer that question. She’ll die first. 

His smirk grows into a full-force smug smile, and she wants to smack it off his face. “Don’t worry. I won’t let the big scary clowns hurt you.”

“Don’t be an arse,” she retorts.

Rolling his eyes, he walks behind her and pushes her toward the entrance. Rey firmly sets her weight into the ground. “You will have to take me kicking and screaming, I swear,” she tells him.

“We can do this the hard way or the easy way.”

Still standing as dead weight, she collapses against him in hopes that he will give up. It’s not like he needs this vacation. She isn’t an idiot. Rey knows the business is going to Ben once Han retires. He is their only son, the one who seems to have everything yet threw it all away. It’s something she desperately wants to understand but never had the courage to ask. Why this man would want to help her win a vacation he would have no problem obtaining is beyond her.

“Alright, the hard way then.” He scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder, ignoring her startled squeak as he makes his way to the entrance of the funhouse. 

“Put me down, Ben!” Her tiny fist and a stuffed animal beat against his back, and he fights the urge to stare at the sight of her ass in the air. The primal part of him wishes he was carrying her into his bedroom, anticipation coursing through his veins at the thought of claiming her as his own. If he didn’t fuck it up so badly their first meeting, maybe he would have experienced it by now. 

His palm itches with the compulsion to spank her for misbehaving. Now is not the time for this. 

“Yes, hi, two from the company picnic,” he smiles at the teenage boy working the ticket counter as he flashes his bracelet, allowing them entrance. The teenager gawks at the sight of the woman thrown over this tall man’s shoulder. As he makes his way inside, Rey gives him the finger.

“I’m not too fond of what I’m looking at right now,” Rey’s muffled voice carries from below.

“I’ll have you know many a woman have complimented my glorious ass.”

“As if, Kylo. I was talking about the frightening sight of the clown’s entrance between your legs.”

“Just close your eyes, Niima. I’ll let you know when we get past it.”

She is silent for a moment before, “You promise? This isn’t a trick?” she quietly asks.

The sound of her vulnerable voice makes him want to pause for a moment. He understands fears as a child carrying on to adulthood. He still has an unhealthy fear of the gremlin dressed up as a bride. But her voice sounding so innocent and small — it fills him with the need to protect her. From everything. 

“Scout’s honor.”

She snorts. “You weren’t in the Scouts.”

“I could have been in the Scouts.”

“Nah, Leia would have shown me those pictures. I really like the photo of you in your Santa pajamas when you were eight.”

His grip on her thighs tightens at the snarkiness in her tone. “Don’t forget who is preventing you from falling onto the ground, Sweetheart.”

“I didn’t ask you to carry me through the hell house. And I am  _ not _ your sweetheart.”

“Whatever you say. We made it,” he tells her as he gently lowers her body. His large hands grip her small waist, and he helps her gain her footing as she returns to solid ground. She avoids his gaze as her eyes take in how close their bodies are to one another. 

“Thank you,” Rey whispers.

“No trouble. Now let’s go get you that vacation.”

He pretends the smile gracing her face doesn’t increase his heart rate as they make their way inside the funhouse.

“So, what made you realize we needed to come in here?” she wonders as she loops her arm through his again. They pass by a painting of a clown as they walk through the array of punching bags, and her chest presses into his arm as she tries hard to not be separated from him. 

“The reflective paper was the hint we needed. The funhouse has the mirrors, so I figured we would need to go here.”

They make it to the narrow steps they have to take to the second floor. He watches in rapt attention as Rey shimmies her way up the level before he even places one foot on the bottom step. 

And that’s when it happens.

Both of his broad shoulders are pressed against the narrow walls. His shirt only offers so much leeway before he has to stop halfway up the stairs and he can no longer continue. He sees the bottom half of Rey’s cowboy boots as she waits at the top for him. His ears are already red at the idea of asking for help. Maybe if he stays quiet she will move on without him and someone else can help him.

“Ben?” 

No no no no no. Not this. The familiar voice wants him to crawl inside a shell like a turtle and just die.

“What’s the matter Benny boy, you stuck?”

He grits his teeth as he whispers, “Dameron, if you don’t shut it, I swear I will show every single embarrassing photo of you from high school at your wedding.”

Poe just laughs. “Don’t confuse me with yourself there, Benny.”

Ben is about to open his mouth and argue, but then he realizes he is right. There are no embarrassing photos of Poe. It’s all just him, and his parents would stop at nothing to show it to his future wife. Hell, Rey already received the damn presentation of his childhood years. 

“Ben, are you okay?” A new voice joins the conversation.

“Finn, is that you?” he asks.

“Yeah, are you...are you stuck?” 

He can tell Finn is fighting a grin, and he wants to punch something.

“Ben?”

Shit, and there’s Rey.

“Rey?”

“Finn?”

“Poe!”

“Poe, no one said your name.”

“I wanted to feel included.”

“Can everyone just stop for a minute!” he yells.

He can feel Rey’s exasperation, and he just does not understand how she can get under his skin so efficiently. 

“Ben, what the hell is your problem?” 

“Don’t get mad at Benny Boy, Sunshine. He’s stuck,” Poe answers her, and a moment later he and Finn are breaking out into laughter.

“Ben, is that true?” 

He fights back a sigh. “Yep.”

The longer she stays silent and he can hear the two laughing behind him, the longer he thinks she just left him. He wouldn’t blame her if she did, they aren’t exactly friends. A part of him thought they were on their way to something, though.

“Hey Finn!” her voice calls out a few moments later.

“Yeah, Peanut?”

“Red rover?”

“On it! Poe, grasp my forearm and brace yourself.”

“I’m engaged to a literal child, and I love it. On three?” he hears Poe ask.

There must be a countdown because all at once, Poe and Finn’s voices yell out behind him.

“Red rover, red rover, send Rey right over!”

Ben barely has time to blink before her body barrels into his, the force dislodging him from the narrow staircase. Their bodies fall backwards, and he is sure he is going to hit his head on the floor until he feels two strong arms bracing their bodies as the entire group collapses onto the floor.

All three of them are laughing, but Ben can only feel Rey’s body pressed against his, and he has to mentally calm himself before a certain member of his gets too excited at her presence. Her chest is heaving against his stomach, and her laughter falls over his shoulders. Before he can commit her body to his memory, she is standing, already offering a hand to him.

“Thanks,” he shyly responds as he takes her hand. He is ashamed to admit he is surprised by her strength. 

“Don’t thank me. You were crushing Finn,” she explains. 

“Jesus Ben, how much do you weigh?” Finn gulps for air the minute Ben stands up. 

“You have to see him with his shirt off. Man is built like a refrigerator,” Poe answers, scrambling up as well.

Finn raises an eyebrow at him in response.

“I mean, not that I like that kind of stuff. You’re the only man for me,” Poe smoothes over.

Finn just hums in agreement, then turns to Ben. “You need to go up sideways. I’m not doing that again.”

Ben just laughs nervously. He’s always felt too big in his skin, too clumsy, and now here he is getting stuck in a funhouse with a pretty girl laughing at him. Today is the worst. 

Rey leads the group up the stairs, her shorts still offering him a great view of her tanned legs and pert ass. 

“Eyes up, Solo,” Poe chastises him with a wink.

“I wasn’t,” he sputters quietly, quickly checking to see if Rey heard.

“Sure, Jan,” Poe rolls his eyes. “Now come on, your turn to go up. Sideways, I might add.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he rumbles, walking up the stairs sideways. The relief he feels at standing next to Rey is something he cannot describe.

Finn and Poe follow easily, and the four make their way to the hall of mirrors. Rey leads the group, but she is instantly distracted by a mirror that multiplies her form. Ben watches in amusement as she raises a hand and watches the other versions of her repeat her actions. She snaps her fingers, once, twice, three times. 

“Rey, we need to get a move on,” Finn nudges her.

She hums in agreement, but still continues to stare until Ben walks up behind her. His presence distracts her enough to look away. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she mumbles out an apology and continues onward. 

Ben only walks into a mirror three times, which is a win for him. Rey does her best not to laugh, but he finds he does not mind. Her laughter is infectious, and Finn and Poe seem to relax the more they see the two interact. He knows how they feel, because his emotions are the same as he watches Rey interact with her best friend and his boyfriend. They are close and protective of one another. It’s nice to know that she has people watching out for her, despite the shitty circumstances she grew up in. 

“Ben?”

“Hm?” 

Rey’s voice brings him out of his thoughts and he is surprised to see they made it to the top of the funhouse. He stares at the only way down, a very narrow slide.

“I said, do you think you are going to fit? I mean, you’re so big.”

Ben’s lopsided smirk makes an appearance as he walks to the exit. “No worries, Sweetheart. I may be big, but I can usually make it fit,” he jokes as he turns around to fall down the slide. The air blows against his skin as he falls down the static trap. Landing on the ground, he quickly stands and watches Rey as she slides down after him.

It pleases him to see a blush still on her cheeks from his comment as he grabs her hand to help her stand. Finn and Poe are not far behind, but at this point he could care less. Rey is still holding onto his hand, and he refuses to be the first one to let go. 

The worker at the end is standing with a bored expression, already holding out two of the clues for the team. 

Ben picks one at random and opens it. He barely registers Poe grabbing the other.

“To win this duel, you’ll need true aim. For if you fail, you’ll lose the game,” he reads, frowning as he hands the paper to Rey. 

Poe looks up at him with a quizzical look. “Wait, what does yours say?” 

Ben rolls his eyes. “The same thing as yours, Dameron.”

“Actually, no it doesn’t. That’s weird.” Rey looks between the clue on Poe’s sheet and theirs. 

“What do you mean? What does theirs say?” Ben is instantly on high alert. Knowing his mother, this is not a good sign. 

“Without wings, you can still soar high. This is one way that you can fly.” Rey reads aloud. She chews on her bottom lip for a moment before continuing. “Each stop must have a different set of clues to prevent other people from cheating. Eventually, we are going to be down two or three couples and we won’t know how close they are to finishing. It’s smart, really,” she concedes.

“Well, Peanut, this has been fun, but we are trying to win this trip for our honeymoon, so see you at the finish line!” Finn jokes as he grabs Poe’s hand to lead them away.

“I did not need to hear that,” Ben shudders, not wanting to imagine what those two would do in the beachhouse his family owned. His imagination takes a more pleasurable turn as he imagines doing those unspeakable things with Rey.

“Well, imagine actually hearing it while it’s happening.”

“Right, you and Finn were roommates, weren’t you?”

“Yep, right after we got out of the system.”

An uncomfortable silence settles over them as they both recall their first interaction and the things he said. Guilt settles in the pit of his stomach. 

“Hey, about that–”

“So, where are we going next?” Rey interrupts, a fake smile plastered on her face. 

Ben instantly deflates, not wanting to try again when she so clearly does not want to hear his sorry excuses. He needs to remember she never wanted to be here with him, despite the semi-friendly interactions they’ve had. 

“I’m not sure,” he says instead, handing her the paper to read over.

“It’s something with guns. I’m not sure which one, though. How many types of gun games are there at the fair?”

“Too many.”

He watches as she thinks, turning the clue over in her hand again and again. Not wanting to rush her, he lets her think in peace, knowing she is grasping at the solution they need. 

“It’s not a real gun,” she finally says. 

“What do you mean?”

“Have you met your mother? She would never promote anything with shooting. What are some games where you don’t use a BB gun?”

“Um, there is this water gun game.”

“Let’s try it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Nope, but it’s the only thing we got.”

“I have no idea how you made that sentence sound like both my parents, but you succeeded.” 

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.” Rey lets a small grin grace her face as they begin to search for the next game. 

“Ben? Is that you?”

Ben stills as a voice he hasn’t heard in years brings back unwanted memories. He turns to the sound of the voice, not even telling Rey he is stopping. His eyes meet the form of Bazine Netal, his ex-girlfriend.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey bites her tongue, but it’s too late. The minute the words fly out of her mouth, she realizes she’s made a mistake. Ben’s sneer instantly turns into a look of satisfaction as he preens. 
> 
> “Seem to know an awful lot about jealousy, Rey. Wonder why?” he smirks, stepping closer to her, forcing her to raise her neck to meet his eyes. 
> 
> She purses her lips shut, not willing to give him the satisfaction of answering. Instead, she crosses her arms and continues to glare at him.
> 
> “You know, you’re cute when you’re mad. Your nose gets all scrunched up, and your freckles stand out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so it's been a hot minute since I updated. I was dealing with personal issues and deadlines, but I think I got everything handled, so I'm trying to catch up on all my works! Thanks for sticking with me <3
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

Rey stops her movements as she catches the way Ben freezes at the sound of his name falling from the lips of the beautiful woman standing in front of them. 

She doesn’t recognize her, not at first. It isn’t until Ben utters the name Bazine does she realize exactly  _ who _ is standing in front of them.

Bazine Netal.

Ben’s high school sweetheart. 

Rey looks closer at her, slowly seeing traces of the young woman in the photograph from Ben’s prom which Leia displays proudly in the entryway. Bazine’s hair is longer, and her body is designed lasciviously. Her womanly curves and cleavage are something to behold. Rey fights the urge to wrap her arms around her lean figure, knowing her curves are nothing compared to hers.

She watches as Ben swallows, his eyes raking over Bazine’s form slowly, and  _ something  _ unfurls in her chest that is heavy and hot in her stomach, taking over her body. It is a feeling she doesn’t quite recognize, but she doesn’t spend too long analyzing the emotion because Bazine steps up to Ben and hugs him. Tightly.

Rey clenches her teeth as she watches the way Ben’s strong arms wrap around Bazine’s waist and gently squeeze. She has the most absurd notion to walk over and shove her away from him. She wants Bazine to know whatever they had was over, and now he belongs to her.

Which is ridiculous. Shaking her head minutely, she tries to dispel those traitorous thoughts.

Ben Solo belongs to nobody, least of all her. She should have known all the flirting he did with her earlier today meant nothing. She should have known he wouldn’t want anyone like her. He sees her as the annoying woman who wormed her way into his family while he was pursuing a law degree. She knows she has no right to feel...whatever this feeling is. Instead, she stays still and watches their interaction, as one would watch a fly buzz around food left out on a hot summer day, annoyed and put off by the constant buzzing.

“How have you been? I didn’t know you were back in town,” Ben says as he pulls away from Bazine.

“You know my parents. The county fair is a family tradition, although they are a bit more lenient with me now that Sabine is old enough to enter competitions.”   
  


Ben lets out a bark of laughter, and Rey is seething at the knowledge he’s never laughed like that with her. 

“Your mom got her wrapped up in pageant competitions, too?”

“Nope! Sabine is into barrel racing,” she says proudly. “She’s pretty good, too. If you have time, you should stop by later and watch her.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I doubt she remembers me,” Ben trails off, looking at the ground shyly.

What the kriff is happening? Ben, being shy? What alternate universe did she get set in?

“My parents love you. They still bring you up every time I come home, too. Maybe afterwards we can go get some dinner, maybe go out to the fields, like we used to?”

Rey is surprised to hear a snort interrupt their conversation, until she belatedly realizes the noise comes from her. She watches as Bazine finally notices her standing off to the side, appearing like an intruder to their conversation.

“I’m sorry, can we help you?” Bazine asks, her tone borderline rude.

Rey’s eyes narrow. She is about to say just who she is before Ben stops her.

“Oh, this is Rey. We work together,” he explains.

A simple and effective explanation. She hates it.

“Rey? Aren’t you that foster kid who was a freshman when we were seniors? I thought you worked in a garage or something.” Bazine’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes.

Rey steps forward, fists clenching, her heart already hammering inside her rib cage at the unkind reminder of her rough upbringing. She doesn’t give two shits who she is to Ben, no one talks down to her like she is nothing. She is  _ not _ nothing. 

Ben must sense the anger sizzling under her veins, because he places a large warm hand on her shoulder, settling her anger to a simmer with just a touch. 

“She is one of the top engineers at my dad’s firm. We are actually here today because of that. Dad’s hosting his company picnic.”

Bazine’s smile seems to grow. “Oh good, I would hate to interrupt a date!”

The chuckle Ben lets out stings Rey’s heart. The idea of them being on a date shouldn’t be so laughable. She may not be as pretty as Bazine, but she is cute. Finn has told her so plenty of times.

“Not a date. Truth be told, I think my parents want us together. I swear she is the daughter they never had.” He smiles at Rey softly, and she feels herself blush under his gaze.

“Well, isn’t that lovely.” Bazine’s smile tightens. “Why don’t you call me when this is over? I don’t want to keep you.”

“I’m not sure how long this will take.”

“I don’t mind.” Bazine takes a step forward, placing her hand on his forearm. She lowers her voice considerably, and Rey has to fight the urge to listen in on what she tells him. The blush on Ben’s face can only mean it is something she does not want to hear. 

Unbelievable.

Rey sets her jaw, gives them one last look, and sets off on her own. She knows when she is not wanted. She knows that feeling very well.

Of course Ben Solo would run into his  _ perfect _ ex-girlfriend, with her  _ perfect _ hair, her  _ perfect _ smile, and her _ perfect  _ figure. 

It doesn’t stop there, either. 

He  _ relishes _ in her attention. Like he is a kriffing teenager all over again. 

Rey continues to march forward, watching the different booths, searching for the one she needs. What does she care if Ben decides to catch up with his old flame? It’s of no consequence to her. Rey fights the urge to scoff aloud. She can do this without him. It isn’t as if anyone is checking on the team to see if they made it through together. 

“Looking for something?” 

A male voice calls out to her, and she smiles in response. 

“I think I just found it,” she answers. The worker grins as he watches her step to the water gun game. “Is this where I need to be?”

“Honey, you are exactly where you need to be,” he winks, and she can’t help but laugh at his charming way. 

“Bet you say that to all the ladies.”

“Only the pretty ones,” he admits. “Name’s Mitaka.”

“I’m Rey. I’m actually here for the company picnic. Is this the right place for the clue?” she asks, taking a seat at one of the spots.

“I think you and I both know I can’t reveal that information without you playing.”

She chews on her bottom lip as she wonders if she should convince him, but decides against it. He is just doing his job. “I get it. Alright, how much?”

“For you, free, but you technically need to face someone. Aren’t you supposed to have a partner?”

“I did, but he’s busy talking up some girl right now. Does Porgy count?” Rey sets her stuffed animal in the seat next to her, grinning mischievously at Mitaka. She is rewarded with a laugh, and Rey lets out a relieved breath that she doesn’t need to wait around for Ben to finish this task.

“When the music starts, you start. Although I must admit, your competition seems pretty fierce.” 

Rey laughs again as she grabs the handle to the water gun. “Okay Mitaka, hit me with your best shot.”

He smiles at her and turns to flick a switch behind him. The lights flash and the melody of some song by the Beach Boys blares on the speakers, and Rey presses the buttons.

The game is over all too soon, and she finds herself laughing as Mitaka announces to the crowd that she is the winner. Rey happily joins in, bowing to him in a mock fashion and giving the porg a conciliatory hug.

“Now, I do believe I win a prize,” Rey prods.

“That you do.” Mitaka displays one of the capsules with the clue inside and wraps one of his small hands around it. Placing both hands behind his back, he smiles at her while telling her to pick which hand.

“I already won though!”   
  
“Yes, but you also don’t have a partner. I need to make it just a little bit harder,” he jokes. His expression sobers up at the grimace that crosses her face. “Trouble with the partner?”

Rey sighs and sets her jaw, unwilling to give him a real answer. 

“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. Just know, I have nowhere else to be besides behind this booth. You, on the other hand...well, you have a scavenger hunt to win, don’t you?”

“Okay, so Ben can be such a prick sometimes,” she begins to explain. “The first time I met him, he literally accused me of stealing his parents. He said the worst things to me, and what sucks is that I get it. He comes home from his fancy job trying to make amends, and all they can do is compare him to me. I know his parents love him, but they show it in the most dysfunctional of ways. Anyways, we got teamed up on this stupid scavenger hunt, and I thought we were getting along.”

Mitaka nods along, urging her to continue while Rey looks away and fiddles with the frayed end of her cutoff shorts. 

“I even thought...it doesn’t even matter, because we ran into his super hot ex-girlfriend and he got all starry-eyed with her. I know when I’m not wanted, so I just left. It was obvious he wanted her and not me. I’m used to doing things on my own, it was just nice to think for once I had someone to help out. All I wanted was to win this stupid scavenger hunt so I could get a paid vacation at their beach house.”

“Well, that is more information than I thought you would give. Can I ask you something?”

“I think you earned that right after I just spent the past couple of minutes rambling to you.”

“How long have you been into him?”

Rey snorts, bursting into laughter. “Excuse me?”

“I mean it’s obvious, isn’t it? You almost walked past this booth — the spitting image of a woman scorned — when I called you over. Now I know it’s because the guy you like was fawning all over his ex. That’s gotta sting.”

She is blushing and stuttering, unsure of how to dispel Mitaka’s thoughts. He was wrong. All wrong.

Until she thought back to the heavy feeling that appeared when she watched Ben hug Bazine. How it felt like her stomach was lead, and her limbs were heavy, and how she felt like she just rode the tilt-a-whirl. Was she feeling jealousy in that moment?

“If he isn’t into a pretty thing like you with that accent, trust me, he ain’t worth it,” Mitaka offers, drawing Rey out of her thoughts. “You know what, I think you earned your clue. I’ll even do you one better.” 

He reaches behind himself to grab two more capsules, each with a different color. With a toss in the air, he begins to juggle the objects much to Rey’s delight. “Just tell me when to stop and whatever one is in the air is yours.”

Rey’s hazel eyes light up as she watches the capsules take turns flying in the air. The one with the purple lid keeps drawing her eye, and she knows that is the one she wants.

“So tell me, what does your partner look like?”

“Hmm? Oh, Ben? He’s tall and has great hair. Like, really great hair. He has beauty marks all over his face, and he’s just huge, all around. He looks like a tree.”

“Okay, so it is the guy who looks like he is about to murder me. No, don’t look! Keep focused on me. There you go. Now laugh like I said something funny,” he instructs, leaning in and smiling.

“What?” Rey is still focused on how well Mitaka doesn’t seem to falter in his juggling skills.

“Laugh. Now.”

Trusting Mitaka, she lets out a loud laugh which she prays does not sound fake. Judging by the minute eye roll he gives her, she only mildly succeeds.

“Stop!” she orders.

Mitaka instantly catches all three of the capsules, the one in the air in his left, and the other two in his right. 

“That’s my baby,” she teases, already reaching out her hand for the capsule she wants.

“And who, exactly, is your baby?” a cold voice spoke from behind her.

Rey slowly turns around and meets Ben’s hard gaze. “What are you doing here?” 

“What am I doing here? Are we conveniently forgetting you walked off and left me behind to chase after you like some lost puppy? What the hell, Rey? I thought something happened to you.” Ben’s cold exterior cracks just a bit, and Rey can see the worry in his eyes. Guilt clenches in her heart, but just for a moment.

“I only left because you were too busy trying to get back with your ex-girlfriend. I know when I’m not wanted.”

Ben runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “Are you talking about Bazine? That was nothing, and it certainly didn’t give you an excuse to walk away from me. We are supposed to be partners in this,” he growls.

“Hey, maybe just lay off the lady a bit, alright? She did just win the next step in the scavenger hunt for you,” Mitaka tries to interject, hoping to ease the tension.

“Nobody asked you.” Ben takes a menacing step forward. “So stay out of this,  _ baby _ .”

“Don’t talk to him like that! Mitaka has been nothing but nice to me,” Rey thunders.

Ben’s face hardens into a sneer as he turns to face Rey. “Oh, Mitaka is it? I’m sorry, I thought we were using his pet name.”

“Stop it,” she hisses.

“Or what? Your carney boyfriend is gonna throw me out?”

“Actually, I work for the Parks and Recreation Department. I’m filling in since one of the workers had to go home to take care of his daughter.”

“I thought I told you to stay out of this,” Ben snarls, not taking his eyes off Rey’s.

“Just thought I’d correct you since you are talking about me.”

“Mitaka, not now,” Rey cuts them off.

“You heard the lady, Mitaka. Not now.”

Some unfamiliar emotion crosses over Ben’s face. Rey studies him carefully before realization sets in.

“You’re jealous.” She wants to laugh. He can flirt with whoever he wants, but the minute he thinks she calls someone a silly pet name, the world is ending. 

“I am not!”

“Then why are you acting like some stuck up boyfriend who is threatened by another male paying attention to his girlfriend.”

“Why would I be jealous? Have you seen him? I know I’m better than him.”

“Hey!” Mitaka cries out indignantly. 

Rey laughs, not acknowledging Mitaka’s statement. “And doesn’t that eat you up, just wondering what he has that you don’t. Get a hold of yourself, Ben. You have no reason to be jealous. Especially since you were flirting with your ex-girlfriend in front of me.”

Rey bites her tongue, but it’s too late. The minute the words fly out of her mouth, she realizes she’s made a mistake. Ben’s sneer instantly turns into a look of satisfaction as he preens. 

“Seem to know an awful lot about jealousy, Rey. Wonder why?” he smirks, stepping closer to her, forcing her to raise her neck to meet his eyes. 

She purses her lips shut, not willing to give him the satisfaction of answering. Instead, she crosses her arms and continues to glare at him.

“You know, you’re cute when you’re mad. Your nose gets all scrunched up, and your freckles stand out.”

“Will you just stop?” she grits out.

“Stop what, Sweetheart?”

“Stop flirting with me like it means something! We both know it doesn’t. So, can you just,  _ please _ , stop. It’s not funny.”

Backing away from him, she walks to Mitaka and grabs the capsule, thanking him for a good time. She almost leaves, but remembers her porg sitting beside her, and turns around instantly to grab it. She doesn’t give Ben the chance to respond to her. Her gaze is on the ground as she fumbles with the capsule, and opens it, eyes roving over it hungrily, eager to escape the situation she’s found herself in.

The words are blurring and it’s only then that she realizes she’s tearing up a bit. Taking a deep breath, she centers herself, reigning in her tumultuous emotions. 

“Rey,” Ben says quietly.

“Don’t.”

Her tone of voice must be enough, because he doesn’t say anything else. He just stands there and waits for her to read the clue. 

_ Two pairs of hands and eyes, but only one lets you drive _

_ If you can’t speed and steer, then something may bump your rear _

“Come on, we got some cars to steer,” she says as she crumples the note in her hand. 

Leading him away from the race, she doesn’t look back as she begins to look for the bumper car arena. She misses the way he stares at her with a crestfallen expression on his face, and the way he almost reaches for her hand but gives up part way.

Instead, all she can focus on is that heavy feeling in her chest, which seems to only grow in correlation to the silence between them. 

\-----

Ben stares at Rey’s form as she walked ahead, his mind whirling at the last few minutes as he tries to process what just happened. 

Her hands raised above her head as she ties her hair into a messy bun, exposing a nape dotted with freckles to him. His eyes follow the movement, entranced by the sudden show of skin. 

How could she think he doesn’t want her — that she is just some sort of game to him? Doesn’t she know how he regrets their first meeting? Doesn’t she know how he dreams of her skin on his? 

She is a desert flower, something so resilient and strong to grow in such harsh conditions, yet still perseveres. Her beauty and intelligence is something all hope to have - but rarely do. He would be so lucky if she just thought of him the way he thinks of her. 

If only she would give him the chance to explain. Explain how Bazine means nothing to him now, and their relationship is a thing of the past. Rey has no need to worry, because his eyes are only for her. Thinking back to the moment when he realized she disappeared, Ben realizes it wasn’t anger that turned her away, it was jealousy. He is familiar with the look in her eyes as she brought up Bazine. He knows he had the same look when he found her smiling and laughing with that stupid carnival worker. 

His hands clench at the memory. He’s never felt something so primal rise within him. The urge to wrap his arms around her lithe frame and claim her as his is still running through his mind. 

Ben is transfixed in his own thoughts, and he doesn’t realize Rey stops until he stumbles into her. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles, grabbing her arms gently to steady them. He ignores the pain he feels at the way she stiffens at his touch.

“We’re here,” she says instead, stepping away from him.

He looks up to see the bumper cars in front of him. What were they supposed to do here — crash into as many people as possible to win the next clue?

Before he has the chance to talk to Rey about their options, she is already walking to the teenage girl working the booth. 

“Excuse me, we are here on the scavenger hunt for Han Solo’s company. What do we need to do?”

“Same as you usually do, I reckon. Who is driving?”

“Me,” Ben says, stepping forward. 

The girl nods and turns back to see how much longer is left in the activity for those on the rink. 

A few minutes pass in awkward silence before the activity ends and the others crawl out of their cars, making their way to the exit. 

“Follow me,” the worker says, popping a piece of bubble gum in her mouth. 

She leads them to a car numbered 2187 and lets Ben in the driver's seat, while Rey clambers in after him. After double-checking their seat belts, she locks the mechanism in the car so they can’t get out until the ride is over. Untying a handkerchief from her belt loop, she then places it over Ben’s eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asks, panic rising in him as darkness settles over his sight. 

“This is the game you have to complete. She is gonna direct you, but only you can steer. Communication and trust is your friend.”   
  


Ben feels her tighten the bandana around his eyes, and dread settles in his stomach. He may not know much about Rey, and he will be the first to admit it is his fault for that predicament. However, he also knows how bad they are at communicating, and this game right here is about to prove it. 

“Rey,” he begins before he stops, unsure of how to tell her how terrified he is of driving blind and at the mercy of the other teenage kids in the other cars.

“Don’t be afraid,” he hears her whisper next to him, “I won’t let them hurt us.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he urges his voice to sound calmer. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

Rey snorts, and he releases a breath he was unaware he was holding. “Don’t flatter yourself, Kylo. If something happens to you, then something happens to me too by association.”

He can feel his lips tug upwards in the makings of a smile. “Back to Kylo now, are we?”

“Only when you annoy me,” she retorts. “Listen, the game is about to start. Grab the wheel, and have your feet hover over the pedal. There is a mean-looking kid in front of us who has been eyeing us like a free piece of candy since he saw the blindfold being put on. I think he is the one who is gonna target us the most.”

“Great, just what I need. To die at the hands of a prepubescent child.”

Rey laughs at his delivery, and he feels the knot in his chest loosen. “Okay, floor it and turn left,” she orders.

Ben dutifully follows before slamming into something, his body vibrating from the crash. “What the hell, Scavenger?”

“Don’t get mad at me, you turned the wheel too hard,” she gripes. “Okay reverse and straight ahead is the evil kid. We meet him head-on.”

“If I die, my mother will never forgive you.”

Her lack of response does nothing to quell his fear. 

Throughout the next few minutes, Ben does the best he can at following Rey’s directions. He knows he could have been better, but once his motion sickness passes at driving blindfolded, he actually has a fun time. Sometimes he does the opposite of what Rey tells him to do just to hear her laugh or heave a sigh of impatience. Other times he does exactly as she says, and she praises him, causing a sense of pride to flourish within him. 

Rey tells him they can get one more hit in at the kid who is targeting them, and he pushes the pedal just to realize he isn’t going anywhere. Just like that, the ride is over. 

“Guess that’s it, then,” Rey says instead.

He can feel her hop out of the car when the locking mechanism for the seatbelts is released. Thinking she’s left him behind, he hesitantly tries to unknot the blindfold before small hands swat him away. 

“I got it,” her voice comes from behind him.

He sits patiently as he feels her nimble hands unknot the bandana. The setting sun filters through his eyes, and he has to blink before his eyes adjust to sight once again. “Thank you.”

“No problem. Let’s get out of here. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we get you to Bazine.”

The sentence leaves a foul taste in his mouth, but he knows if he tries to say something she won’t listen to him. Rey is too proud and too defensive. She would just believe he was saying it to spare her feelings. 

No — when Ben tells her, he wants to be sure she feels no doubt whatsoever. 

Hopping out of the cart, he gently grabs her hand and pulls her to the exit. “Come on, Scavenger. We got a prize to win.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned! I've been dealing with a lot of stuff, personally (everything is fine!), it just adds up haha The last chapter is with one of my betas, and now I just need to write the epilogue. In other news, TROS IS SO CLOSE GUYS I CANNOT BELIEVE WE MADE IT. I WISH I COULD MEET EVERYONE AT ALL THE MEETUPS BUT WE WILL HAVE THIS AND ANAHEIM.
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

“I’ve been thinking,” Rey starts, staring ahead.

Ben glances at Rey as they walk through the fair on the way to the next clue.

“How many more clues do you think there are? I mean, we aren’t exactly a big company, and we are in pairs. Realistically speaking, this shouldn’t last much longer. I think we are one of the last groups,” Rey explains.

Ben nods in agreement. “Got any fun plans for the vacation?”

A smile grows on her face and her eyes light up. “I’m gonna spend all of it on the beach. I’ve never seen the ocean.”

“Never?”

Rey shakes her head no, ducking her gaze to avoid any signs of pity on his face. 

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Ben continues, “there’s too much sand.”

Rey laughs at the comment. “I am told there is sand at the beach. As well as water. Who would have thought?”

“The audacity,” he teases.

They both smile at one another and something occurs between them, something taut with tension, heat, and want. The smile fades from both their faces as they continue to gaze at one another. Ben watches in rapt fascination as Rey chews on her bottom lip and he thinks this is the moment, the moment where he can tell her how he really feels and she may just believe him. 

The sun is setting, casting a warm glow around her body. Her eyes shimmer between green and gold in the light and he is captivated by how ethereal she looks. He opens his mouth, ignoring the sweat prickling at his palms and the way his stomach plummets like he just stepped off a roller coaster, and he’s ready to speak the words into the air around them when—

“Where are we going next?” comes out of his mouth instead, and regret washes over him. 

And just like that, the moment is gone, lost forever.

Ben shuts down and he wants to laugh at himself. Of course, it wouldn’t be this easy. Rey steps away from him instead, the mask settling over her face and he can feel the way she is already pulling away from him despite being so close.

Rey pulls the next clue out of her pocket and hands it to him. “I think it’s something to do with–” She stops midsentence. 

“What?” He looks around, trying to find the source that captivates her so.

“Do you smell that?”

Ben stops and lifts his nose in the air. Rey watches him and fights the grin forming on her face at his dog-like appearance. 

“Yes. It’s funnel cake,” he says after a moment.

“It smells really good. Do you mind if I get some? I’m so hungry.”

It isn’t until Rey says something that Ben realizes he also hasn’t eaten and his stomach rumbles in confirmation.

“Fuck yeah, I’m starving.”

Rey quiets at his theatrics and stares at her shoes as he walks ahead. 

“Rey?”

“It’s nothing,” she dismisses him.

Ben frowns at the harshness in her tone. “Do you not want funnel cakes? We can get a corn dog or something. I think they have deep-fried Oreos also. Almost everything here is deep-fried, actually.”

“Funnel cake is fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Rey chooses to ignore him and instead stands in line. It isn’t until they are sitting down, chewing on the fried pieces of dough covered in powdered sugar and strawberry toppings that she finally says something. 

“Look, I know you didn’t mean it like that, but I get really weird about food. And when you said you were starving, well it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way.”

“I didn’t—”

She raises a hand to silence him. “I know you didn’t mean it that way, and I get it. I know everyone didn’t have the same upbringing as me, so when people make off-handed comments about food...I just—” She cuts herself off and lets out a deep breath through her nose before continuing, “I didn’t have a lot of food growing up, so when people say…” 

Ben watches as she bites her lip, and he immediately understands where she is going with it. “It just doesn’t settle well with you,” he finishes for her quietly.

Her eyes shift back to his before staring at her shoes. “Yes.” 

“Thank you for telling me, and I’m sorry.”

“I try not to let those comments affect me, but it’s hard sometimes and I—”

“Hey,” he whispers, placing a hand on her knee, “you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” 

Rey’s eyes glisten in the carnival lights, reflecting back the vivid colors and he realizes she is about to cry. Rubbing small circles on her knee, she continues to eat her funnel cake, avoiding his gaze as she tries to compose herself. 

"You know what I really want now," he continues in an effort to lighten the moment, "a turkey leg. What do you say, Scavenger?"

"That does not sound delicious, to be honest,” her voice croaks out, but there is a semblance of a smile.

He barks out laughter, shocking her. "It doesn't sound great, but it tastes delicious. Trust me."

Standing, Ben extends his hand out to her and she glances at it. A small smile appears and she places her hand in his. "Okay."

Together they walk hand in hand to another food vendor cart, purchasing a turkey leg. Rey’s eyes widen comically at the sight and Ben knows he will remember this moment forever.

“Here, have the first bite.”

Rey wraps her hands around the base and opens her mouth wide, taking a large bite through the delicious skin and moist meat, and grease dribbles down her chin.

Ben’s smile grows as he takes in how adorably messy she is and asks, “Good?”

“You were right, Ben, this is pretty fucking good,” she mumbles through a mouthful of food. 

Rey pushes it in his hands, and he gingerly takes it from her, fingers brushing against one another. He chooses not to linger on the touch, instead, taking a large bite so as not to ruin the moment with his idiotic mouth again. 

The salty meat goes down and now all he can think about is a glass of beer to wash it down. 

“Man, I would kill for a drink right now,” Rey says, smacking her lips.

He swallows his bite and hands the turkey leg back to her. “You read my mind. Want lemonade, tea, or beer?”

Instead of answering, a shiver runs through her and Ben realizes the sun is almost gone now, leaving behind a chill with the summer wind. The tank top Rey chose to wear is no longer helpful in the current weather. Wiping his greasy fingers on a napkin, he shrugs out of his plaid shirt and hands it to her.

Rey blinks down at it, uncertainty in her eyes. 

“Go on, you’re cold.”

She bites her lip, even as her fingers slowly raise to grasp it. “But what about you?”

“I run hot, anyways. You need it more than I do. It’s fine.”

She softly grabs it and passes him the food while she puts it on. The shirt dwarfs her, and the sleeves run long on her, yet, there is something about seeing her in his clothes that pleases him. He likes it. Very much.

Rey is ignorant of the thoughts running rampant in his mind as she rolls up the sleeves to give her hands freedom, and she smiles up at him as she snuggles in it. “Thanks, Ben,” she says warmly.

“Sure thing, Scavenger.”

This time, he knows he is not imagining the blush on her cheeks. 

“You look really good in my shirt.” The words fall out of his mouth before he can stop them, and he isn’t sure if he has his father to thank or kill for his skills with women.

“Much better than you I’m sure,” she quips back, albeit a bit breathlessly.

“Definitely better than me. I wouldn’t mind seeing you in other clothes of mine.”

They continue to stare at one another, neither moving as they are on the precipice of falling past their normal boundaries of friendship. He watches in fascination as her eyes dart to his lips then eyes, and he may not know many things, but he does know what  _ that  _ means. Taking the cue, he steps forward, and he can hear her breathing increase but she hasn’t stepped away from him. Placing a hand on her waist, he leans over, moving ever so slowly until their lips are just inches apart and then—

“Ben!” a shrill voice interrupts them and Ben wants to throttle the person who dares intrude on their private moment.

He turns around, a growl already forming on his face until his eyes catch sight of the younger Netal sister, somehow looking like a young woman. “Sabine?”

“Bazine said you were in town! Why didn’t you see me at the tournament?”

“Rey and I got caught up in a few things. Rey, this is Sabine, Sabine this is Rey.”

They both smile at one another, before Sabine loudly asks, “Is she your girlfriend? Bazine got it into her thick skull you two were going out tonight. She wouldn’t shut up about it.”

“Oh, well, you see, that’s a bit complicated,” Ben shrugs out an answer.

Sabine looks to Rey and she answers, “I’d very much like to hear his answer as well.”

He wants the ground to open up and swallow him whole. The two girls stare at him, curiosity in both of their expressions, Sabine with excitement, and Rey with mild trepidation. 

“Well, I told Bazine earlier I probably won’t have time to see her today. I’m with Rey today, and I’m not leaving her behind.”

“So you  _ do _ like her,” Sabine concludes, looking at Rey in an all-new light. “You are very pretty, and you seem nicer than my idiotic older sister.”

Rey almost laughs at her brash assessment and Ben groans. “Sabine, you haven’t softened up to your big sister at all, have you?”

“Why should I?”

“Nevermind, why are you out here alone?”

“I’m not here alone. My friends are at that booth over there. Mom and Dad let me go and celebrate since I placed second,” Sabine proudly states. 

“Okay, well, be safe, alright?”

“Ben, I already heard this from my parents. I don’t need it from you. Hope you and your girlfriend have fun tonight. We miss you! Try to stop by the ranch sometime. I’d love to show you my barrel racing.”

“I’ll try to stop by. See ya later, kid.”

Rey lets out a laugh, and she has to clap a hand over her mouth when Sabine hugs Ben goodbye. 

“Please tell me you just heard the words coming out of your mouth,” Rey giddily says.

“Don’t.” Ben’s voice is strained as he realizes this town is turning him into…

“See ya later, kid,” Rey mimics, laughing to herself. “God, I can’t wait to tell him.”

“I’ll give you anything you want if you promise you won’t.” 

“I don’t know. Han and I don’t have secrets...I’d hate to not tell him about his son turning into him.”

“Rey, I’m begging you.”

“We’ll see, Han Jr. Come on, we have another prize to go after. We got distracted with food.”

Ben doesn’t miss the fact Rey bypasses the entire conversation of Sabine referring to her as his girlfriend, or how she continues on as if they weren’t about to kiss. 

He almost says something until Rey gives him a dimpled smile and takes his hand in hers. She holds onto the turkey leg, still munching happily, while he somehow holds her stuffed porg as they walk the grounds together, and he somehow finds, he doesn’t mind one bit she hasn’t brought it up.

Because this right here, this moment with them teasing and laughing, feels like it’s just what it needs to be. 

\------

Rey’s heart feels as if it is going to burst from her chest at the feel of his large and warm hands wrapped around hers. She isn’t stupid. She knows they were about to kiss at that moment. She shivers at the memory of his dark eyes staring at her with longing and a tiny bit of fear, the way her eyes were drawn to his plush lips, and the way his deep velvet voice caressed her as he spoke such sweet words.

The thought they were almost thrust into whole new territory scares her. She isn’t used to this—the feeling of banter morphing into flirting, the way their mutual dislike of one another seemed to change after just one day spent together.

Rey’s always thought Ben was attractive—there’s no denying it with his broad shoulders and dark hair. She would be lying if she said she never once thought about it, because she has, in the deep recesses of her mind when she is lonely at night. But to realize he may actually feel the same, and this isn’t some game to him? Well, that’s something else entirely.

His shirt drapes over her comfortably, giving her a sense of safety and relief from the summer breeze. Rey wets her lips, thinking back to the way he looked at her in his shirt, a look akin to hunger. 

She has no idea what is about to happen to them but hearing how Ben told Sabine he wouldn’t leave her behind gives her a semblance of satisfaction that what is unfurling between them is palpable and  _ real _ .

“Scavenger.” Ben’s voice brings Rey out of her thoughts, the turkey leg already to her lips. She takes a bite and he rolls his eyes with an endearing smile, and Rey cannot understand how he can look at her with such tenderness and annoyance—that is until she realizes she must look at him the same way.

“Hm?” she says, not willing to rush her mastication of food. 

“We never looked at the clue,” he easily responds, mischief in his eyes.

Rey almost chokes on the food as she realizes he’s right. Pulling on his hand with a strength she reserves for food and moving second-hand furniture into her small apartment, she hurriedly chews while she passes him the clue. 

Ben pops open the capsule, rolling out the piece of paper in his hands, eyes roving over the words. 

_ "Monsters, ghouls, and ghosts may not be the best of hosts. Roam these halls and beware those creeping, or else you'll leave the house screaming." _

Ben and Rey both share similar looks of apprehension, and together they utter one word. 

"Fuck."

Rey knows what the clue means. She knows why she doesn't want to step foot in a haunted house. It's a cesspool for creepy clowns, but Ben? 

"Ben, I really don't want to do this, but why don't you?"

"Haunted houses are the fucking worst. The only time I've been in one was when I was younger and some of my friends at the time dragged me with them. We got separated and one of the actors kept chasing me. I ended up screaming and crying in a little ball. They had to call my parents to come get me."

"How old were you?

"I'm not sure, ten or eleven,” he trails off, mind lost in the memories before he continues, "I'm not sure I can do this," he whispers, and Rey can see his face has lost all color. 

"You're not alone." She tries to sound reassuring, but the quiver in her voice betrays her true feelings.

Ben looks at her with hope and worship. His throat bobs as he swallows, and he responds, "Neither are you."

Rey watches as he shoves the clue back in his pocket, then automatically reaches for her hand. A sense of pleasure erupts from within at the way he naturally seeks her out. She knows her increased heart rate isn't due to the fear of their next adventure. 

They make their way across the grounds slower than normal, apprehension apparent in their steps. It doesn't take long for them to find the attraction.

A fog machine casts an eerie ambiance around the black metal structure that is lit by red and orange lights. 

Rey and Ben stop outside and stare in trepidation. She takes a step forward, but Ben is rooted to the spot and she is forced back due to his dead weight. 

"Ben?"

She looks up at him and she has never seen him look so terrified. His plush lips have lost their rosy color, his beauty marks match his pale skin, and there is a sheen of sweat covering him. 

"Are you alright?" Rey tries again. 

He is squeezing her hand so tight it is on the verge of painful and his breathing is growing shallower. 

"Ben, baby, can you look at me?" she asks him quietly. His eyes dart to hers but no sound comes from his mouth. 

She holds firmly onto his hand and continues to speak in soothing tones. "Can you follow me? I'm gonna take you over to that bench, alright? It's gonna be fine baby, okay? Everything's gonna be fine.”

Ben follows her slowly to the bench, his body acquiescing to her motions as she forces him to sit. Rey forces his head between his legs and helps him maintain his breathing as she strokes his hair. 

Slowly, Rey observes the color returning to his cheeks, his breathing slowing and the pressure on her hand is lessening. She lowers herself to her knees so she can peek at his eyes underneath the curtain of hair. “You back, Ben?”

He nods slowly, raising his head to meet her eyes, revealing a look of wariness on his face. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“Hey, don’t be, Ben. It’s okay,” Rey assures him, returning to stroking the hair on his head. “Fear gets the best of us. Listen, if you can’t do it, that’s okay, I can do it by myself.”

“No,” he argues, looking up at her with defiance in his eyes. The look is quite attractive on him when it isn’t aimed against her. 

“Ben, I’m a big girl, I can handle this myself. I’ll be back out before you know it, okay?”

His eyes dart between her and the imposing building, visibly at war with himself. “Rey, no, I won’t let you.”   
  


She bristles at his tone. “Ben Solo, you listen well. No one, and I mean  _ no one _ tells me what I can and can’t do. You couldn’t even step one foot in that direction Ben. I’m not doing that to you.”

“Rey—”

“No, Ben.” Before he has the chance to argue, she turns around and jogs to the entrance of the haunted house. She refuses to look back, knowing the image of Ben looking back at her will be enough to crumble her resolve. 

Instead, Rey steps foot into the entrance, the purple lights and black walls surrounding her as the door shuts behind her. 

\------

Ben can only watch in mounting anxiety as Rey disappears behind the doors of the haunted house. How could he let her go in without him? How could he let her go in  _ alone,  _ knowing how she feels about clowns, which are sure to be in there? 

He abruptly stands, moving forward until the house looms above him, and just as before, his mind brings forth the images he has tried so hard to forget. 

“Why can’t I just fucking do this?” he berates himself, pacing back and forth in front of the house. He does his best to ignore the wary looks he receives from the teenage worker manning the ticket booth. 

“I don’t know, why can’t you?” the worker responds.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” he retorts.

“Well, it’s not like there’s anyone else here.”

Ben chooses to ignore him as he continues to pace, running a large hand through his hair, no doubt displaying his large ears for the world to see. A thought he doesn’t care about as he imagines Rey in multiple scenarios that he doesn’t even see Bazine making her way to him.

“Ben! I thought we were gonna meet up later, where have you been?”

He halts in his steps as Bazine steps in front of him, forcibly stopping him in his pacing. “Hey Baz, I’m still doing that work thing, I don’t think I can make it out.”

“But you said you didn’t want to leave Rey alone, and I don’t see her,” she smiles, a triumphant glint in her eyes.

“Yeah, because she’s in there!” he cries, pointing to the house with a dejected look in his face.

“And? Want to go get drinks?” she asks, stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his forearm.

“Baz, Rey is in there,  _ alone _ , because of me. Do you not see a problem with that?”

“Um, no? So about that drink,” she tries again.

“Bazine, until Rey is back here in my arms, I can’t really think about anything else, alright? It was lovely to see you.”

Ben doesn’t even give the chance for Bazine to answer, because at that moment, Rey’s scream fills the air. 

He doesn’t have to think twice before he barrels in after her. 

He ignores the way Bazine calls after him, and he pushes past the teenage boy manning the front, silencing him with a glare he used to silence many enemies when he worked as a lawyer in the city. 

The darkness surrounds him, and before he can process the fear he is making his way through the rooms within the haunted house. He fights back a scream as a serial killer pops out, brandishing a bloody knife at him and he runs through the room. The hallway is painted with tombstones naming famous killers and their murders. 

“It’s for Rey, it’s all for Rey,” he mutters as he walks quickly. The next room is covered with dolls, and a lone figure sits on a rocking chair, creaking back and forth as it braids the hair of one doll in particular. Before he can walk out, the figure turns around, makeup looking like her face has been dismembered as she brushes a severed doll head.

“Oh, fuck this,” he lets out a strangled yell and begins to race through each room, not even bothering to give anyone a chance to frighten him. “Rey!”

His voice echoes and he stumbles as he sees a clown grinning at him with a maniacal look. And Ben...he sees red.

Before he can think things through, he is stalking towards the clown with murder in his eyes, and a strange thrill shoots up his spine as he watches the clown run away from him. Before the clown can get too far, Ben reaches out and grabs him by the scruff of his tacky one-piece outfit. 

“What did you do to her?” he growls.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about man, I’m just doing my job.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me.”

“I’m not, I swear,” the clown whimpers.

Ben stares him down, and when he senses no deceit he lets him go but blocks his path before he can run. “Did you see a British woman run past here? She has brown hair, freckles, really pretty.”

The clown smiles, and Ben  _ knows _ it’s the makeup that forces him to look scary, and he does his best to stand his ground.

“Oh, yes. She ran through with her eyes closed. She kept repeating for no one to scare her very politely.”

The look on Ben’s face instantly causes the clown to backtrack and Ben fights the urge to roll his eyes. Ignoring him, he walks on past, searching for her in the maze. 

“Rey!” His voice carries and he waits patiently for her reply. As he takes a breath to call for her again, he hears it, her voice calling for him.

Ben instantly starts forward, calling her name as he tries to discern how close she is to him. After walking through a room that is supposed to resemble Dr. Frankienstein’s laboratory, he stumbles into her with Finn and Poe.

“Ben, what are you doing here?” Rey looks him over and instantly walks to his side, her hazel eyes wide with worry.

“I heard you scream,” he answers, shame instantly filling him at his brash reaction. Of  _ course _ she is going to scream in a haunted house.

But the smile she gives him and the way her eyes light up lets him know he made the right decision. 

“You came in here for me because you heard me scream?” she asks, placing a hand on his forearm.

“Of course, I thought something happened to you.” They don’t break eye contact as they smile at one another, and Ben is filled with relief until—

“Jeeze, get a room,” Poe mutters. 

Ben almost steps back, but Rey grabs hold of his hand, keeping his body close to her. “Oh shut it, Poe, he wouldn’t even be here if you two didn’t scare me,” she scolds. 

Finn has the decency to look sheepish. “I forgot about the clown thing, Rey. I said I was sorry.”

“You should be! I don’t even feel bad punching you.” 

Ben’s heart rate increases as he feels her snuggle into his arm. He never once thought he would feel so content in a haunted house, yet here he is. Which brings him back to the present. “Can we get out of here, please? I already scared off a clown, and I don’t want to think about what he is telling his co-workers.”

“You scared off a clown?” Poe asks, a grin growing on his face.

“Look, we’ll discuss this once we get out of here, alright?” Ben starts forward, pulling Rey behind him, eager to protect her from anything else in this hellhole of an attraction. He doesn’t miss the raised eyebrows of Poe and Finn, the couple sharing a meaningful glance, before falling in step behind him. Ben briefly thinks at least if someone comes up from behind them, Finn and Poe will be taken first. 

Ben must have scared the clown well enough since no other characters pop out in an attempt to scare them. Not soon enough, the group is standing outside the house and Rey’s grip on his hand relaxes.

“So, you two haven’t killed each other yet. That’s a good sign,” Finn comments. 

Ben looks at Rey and she smiles up at him, and he  _ knows  _ that this is the moment. The moment to push them forward to the next stage in their relationship. He would have preferred for this moment to be without spectators, but he will take what he can get. 

Before he has the chance to make a comment, suggesting a date or a comment about how amazing she is, Rey stops him. “Ben, where’s Porgy?”

Porgy? 

Fuck, Porgy. He quickly looks at the bench he was sitting on, only to find it gone. “I’m sorry, I must have—I didn’t mean to lose it.”

To his relief, Rey laughs. “That’s okay, Ben. It just means you have to win me something else.”

“I’ll win you a whole flock of porgs if you want.”

Finn makes a gagging noise, and Rey turns to glare at him. 

“What are you two even doing here?” she retorts.

“We were just enjoying the carnival. Poe loves haunted houses, and we wanted to make the most of the bracelets we got.”

“What happened to the contest?” Ben counters.

“We got kicked out not long after the funhouse. What about you two?”

Rey and Ben don’t respond. Ignoring the startled cries from Finn and Poe, they turn around to make their way to the teenager manning the front. 

“You again! You aren’t allowed in here. We don’t allow guests to harass our workers,” the young man points at Ben.

A blush grows on his face, and he can’t seem to meet Rey’s eyes at the moment, making a point to stare at the ceiling above him. Thankfully, Rey takes over the conversation. 

“Yes, sorry about that, but we were actually hoping to get the clue for the next location, please.” Rey smiles good-naturedly, a smile that many clients have fallen for when Han brings her to meetings. Ben knows the smile well, it was the first smile he saw when he realized just how pretty she was. 

“I’m sorry miss, but we are out of clues. You missed it by about an hour.”

Ben brings his attention back to the worker. “We missed it,” he repeats, anger lacing his tone.

“Yes, I’m sorry. Mr. Solo though wanted us to inform all losers to please enjoy the rest of the carnival and to not forget the dinner and concert he will be providing to all employees.”

Ben can’t bring himself to look at Rey. 

They lost.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes, I really do. I’m an idiot, I know that. But, before we take this further, I need to know. My mom didn’t put you up to this, did she?”
> 
> Rey shakes her head and Ben feels relief coursing in his veins. “Good,” he whispers, raising his hand to slowly cup her face. 
> 
> “What are you gonna do now?” Her voice is equally as quiet, and the way she looks at him—it’s as if he is everything to her—and he savors it.
> 
> “That depends.” His voice lowers, and he leans in.
> 
> “On what?”
> 
> “On if you like me back.” He is inches away from her face and her lips tantalize him, a siren song that he needs to lose himself in.
> 
> Instead of answering, Rey closes the distance between them, capturing his lips with hers. Ben is drowning, adrift in the essence that is Rey and Rey alone. Her hands press against his chest and his body crowds her, leaning over her in the small carriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the official last chapter before the epilogue and where we earn that E rating. There will be finger banging in this, in a ferris wheel. I regret nothing. Thanks for sticking with me!
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

Disappointment floods her system. They lost. This whole day was for nothing, and she will never get to go to the beach and enjoy her vacation like she originally planned. She and Finn will probably have another staycation this year instead. She sneaks a look at her partner, and is surprised to see Ben looks worse than she is.

Guilt assuages her. It’s all her fault. If only she didn’t demand to eat all that food or get distracted by the ambiance of the fair. 

“Ben, I’m sorry,” Rey starts, but he stops her before she can get more words out.

“What, why are you sorry? I should be the one apologizing.”

Rey gapes at him in astonishment. “No, I was the one who wanted something to eat, and then we got distracted by more food.”

“Rey, no, that was just as much my idea as it was yours. It is not your fault. I will concede to it being both of ours, but that’s it.”

She chews her lip, wanting to argue more, but she knows it will be futile. “I did like our little date,” she agrees instead. 

Rey watches in pleasure as the tips of his ears flush bright red and how he stares at the ground, trying so hard not to stumble on his words. 

“Um, a date?” Ben finally utters out.

“Yeah, but if you don’t want it to be…”

“No,” he interrupts her, voice firm, “I want it to be.”

“Good, me too.” She grabs onto his hand, pulling him closer to her. 

“I just imagined our first date would be more...romantic?” Ben looks down at their hands, trying to hide his beet-red face.

Rey’s stomach does a somersault. “You imagined our first date?”

“More than you know,” he admits. 

Before they can talk more about their hidden feelings, Poe and Finn return, and Rey, as much as she loves them, wants to strangle them.

“So, you guys are in, or what?” Poe asks.

“No, it turns out we lost. This was the last stop we had to go in,” Ben tells them, a crooked smile on his face. 

“Oh, that sucks, Peanut. Guess we are staying in this year, huh?” Finn directs his question towards her, and she smiles back.

“It could be worse. Netflix, take-out, and alcohol doesn’t seem that bad.”

“Is that what you two do on your normal vacations?” Ben asks.

“Yes,” they reply in unison.

He stares at them with an incredulous look on his face. 

“Not all of us can afford to go somewhere, Ben. We have college loans we are paying back,” Finn replies. “Rey, I thought you would be more upset about this. All you could talk about was the beach house.”

“Well, yeah, I’m a bit bummed, but I had a great time today.” Rey can feel her cheeks heat under their intense gaze, and feels the way Ben is smiling at her. 

“Well, we are going to head over to the dinner, you guys wanna come with?” Poe asks. 

Rey looks at Ben quickly. He motions for her to follow them as an answer, and they fall in step as they make their way to the tent. The walk is silent, blessedly filled with no questions regarding her and Ben’s new relationship status, something she is unsure of as well.

As they walk together hand in hand, she wonders where this leads them. Is it just a one-time thing, does he plan on continuing this, and what does this mean for work? 

She chews on her lower lip as the questions bounce around in her head, not wanting to discuss it with Ben with her two best friends nearby, one of which is a known gossip and best friends with Ben’s mother. 

Although, she is sure Poe already has plans to tell Leia just how much they decidedly do not hate one another right now. 

Before they know it, the group finds the tent filled with other workers, conversing and filling their plates with steak, salad, mashed potatoes, and apple cobbler. Her mouth salivates at the smell, and she drags Ben over to the line, already planning on filling up as much as she can.

“How are you still hungry? We had a turkey leg not long ago,” Ben comments.

“Free food is free food, Ben. When are you gonna realize food is Rey’s one true love?” Finn answers. 

“He’s right,” Rey agrees, not taking her eyes off the buffet line. She can hear his scoff, and she bites back a smile. Instead, she continues, “I wonder who won the contest.”

Poe hums and looks around, trying to find some sort of clue. “Not sure, but I’m pretty sure Leia will make an announcement soon.”

Rey makes it to the front of the line, and passes back three plates for her friends, then grabs one for herself. When they are all done, they all find a table together to sit and talk. Ben looks a bit uncomfortable as he takes in the way they all sit by one another, and before he has a chance to make an excuse, Rey tugs on his hand, letting him know she wants him to stay. 

She notices it takes him a bit to talk more around her friends, and his face looks like all those times they previously met which delved into arguments between the two. It hits her just then that Ben Solo is  _ shy _ . His hands drum on his knees, and his eyes dart back between the three people, almost as if he is trying to read their faces and figure out the best course of action to move forward in the conversation. Watching him makes her anxious, and she cannot even imagine how he must feel.

Slowly it clicks into place. 

Ben reacts to the way the people around him act, feeding off their energy. It’s no wonder their conversations always delved into something defensive and exasperated. It’s all she expected from him, and he fed off her, delving into an endless cycle. 

“You alright?” she whispers to him, placing her hand on his to still his nervous motions.

Ben nods, squeezes her hand reassuringly, and goes back to eating while listening politely to the story Finn is telling. 

Rey doesn’t bother listening, it’s a story she’s heard thousands of times. Instead, her attention is brought to the front of the room where a small platform is built. Leia and Han make their way to the center, giving their employees a chance to stop their conversations. 

“Welcome all,” Leia starts, “I’m so happy our employees enjoyed the day at the carnival.” Her brown eyes linger on Rey, widening slightly at the sight of Ben’s shirt on her shoulders. “Now, as we previously stated, the winners win an extra paid two weeks vacation, and access to our beach house if they so choose. It is our pleasure to announce the winners of this year’s employee scavenger hunt, Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix!”

Clapping erupts around them, and Rey can’t help but cheer along with them. Kaydel is Han’s personal assistant—and a damn good one at that. She remembers when Leia forced Han to hire her. She worked with Leia to begin with, but when she retired from politics Leia forced Han to take Kaydel on as he started feeling his age. Rose, from HR, is a close friend of Rey’s. Rose moved to this town shortly after her sister passed, finding a pseudo-family with her co-workers, much like Rey did. 

“They deserve it,” Finn shouts over the clapping, voicing what Rey is thinking. 

“Please enjoy the rest of the night, and feel free to help yourself to more food. Han loves to order more than we need, so I can guarantee we have extra. Unfortunately, the band we hired ran into some issues on the way, here so we won’t have a concert, but we’ll have the speakers set up to play music, and of course, you have access to the carnival until it closes. Thanks again for joining us, and have a great night!” Leia grins at everyone, then grabs Han’s hand as they make their way back down the platform. 

They disappear into the crowd, and Rey thinks nothing of it, her attention turning to Ben sharing a story from his days in the city with Finn and Poe listening in. His voice is deep and mesmerizing to her, and she knows she can listen to him talk all day. When she first met him, that thought would spur her annoyed and angry emotions, but now—now it relaxes her. 

“Glad to see you two didn’t kill each other.”

Rey looks up to see Han staring at them both, a shit-eating grin on his face. 

“Not tonight at least,” she quips back, not really wanting to get into this.

“Well, if I’m not mistaken, that’s my son’s shirt on your shoulders, so I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon.” Han’s grin grows.

“Dad, can you not?” Ben pleads. 

“What? I never got a chance to embarrass you in front of any of your other girlfriends once you left town. I gotta make up for last time.”

“Oh we aren’t—” Rey starts, but stops immediately at the dejected look on Ben’s face. This is exactly why she didn’t want to deal with anyone questioning them until after they had a conversation about whatever  _ this  _ is. 

“Han, leave Ben alone, please. Let him and Rey enjoy the rest of their night,” Leia interjects. “See Ben, didn’t I tell you she was great? All you had to do was be nice.”

Rey should be feeling grateful, but the way Leia looks at her...as if she...no...did she? Before Rey has a chance to voice her thoughts, Leia drags Han away with a wink and a wave. 

“Did your mom...did she set us up?” Rey asks. Her stomach seems to plummet, and she can’t fight the hurt that is growing. Was this all just something Leia cooked up? Was any of this real?

Ben lets go of her hand, choosing to hide his face with his hands. “Oh my god,” he groans into them.

Poe and Finn bust out laughing, and Rey...she feels like she has been outmaneuvered in a game she wasn’t aware she was playing. 

“I need to get out of here.” Ben stands up quickly, almost knocking over his chair as he makes his way to the exit.

“Ben, wait!” Rey calls after him, but his legs are a lot longer than hers, and before she can reach him, she loses sight of him in the crowd.

\---

Of  _ fucking _ course his own mother set him up with their perfect employee. Was all this a game? Was this just some sick joke to get his parents to like her even more?

Ben huffs as he finds himself staring at the carnival in front of him. Finding a line, he steps in easily, not even caring what ride it’s for. He needs to get away, he needs to lose himself, lose the thoughts that are tumbling in his brain.

“Ben!” 

He can’t bear to look at her right now, to see the look of guilt on her face. It’s just like his mother to play matchmaker and inject herself in his life. He isn’t sure what he hates more, that his mother manipulated him, or the fact that Rey got involved as well.

“Ben, be honest with me. Was this all a joke or something? Are you only with me because of your mom?”

Ben turns, looking at Rey with his mouth open. Is she joking? 

“If you don’t like me, that’s fine, just be honest about it. I thought we had a nice time, but if this was all because of your mom, then I don’t need your pity. I can get someone on my own, despite what she thinks. You were really nice today, Ben, and I liked it, but now...I just need you to be honest with me. Was any of this real?”

“Rey, I—”

“Next!” The woman working the ride calls out. 

Ben looks up, realizing they made it to the front of the line at the Ferris wheel. 

“Just you two, then? Alright, let’s go,” the worker pushes them into the carriage, and the door shuts and locks behind them with a click. 

Ben stares at Rey as she sits across from him. The carriage swings with the motion of others stepping into their own cars. He knows it’s his turn to say something, but he just isn’t sure how. Taking a breath, he gathers all the courage he has.

“Rey, I had nothing to do with what my mother planned. She has always been very...involved in my life—regardless of whether I want her to be or not. That was part of the reason I left this town. I needed to be on my own, to make my own way. I know I didn’t exactly make the best choices, but they were mine.” 

He stands and moves to sit directly by her. Taking her hand in his, he continues, “Rey, I like you, a lot. Today was the most fun I had in...well, ever. To be honest, I always thought you were attractive, and smart, and stubborn. Whenever I tried to get to know you or be nice, I just seemed to always stick my foot in my mouth. It got so bad, I did it without even thinking because I knew it was the only way you would talk to me, and I’d rather have something rather than nothing from you.”

Her hazel eyes meet his, and they seemed to shine with hope and wonder. “Do you really mean that?”

“Yes, I really do. I’m an idiot, I know that. But, before we take this further, I need to know. My mom didn’t put you up to this, did she?”

Rey shakes her head and Ben feels relief coursing in his veins. “Good,” he whispers, raising his hand to slowly cup her face. 

“What are you gonna do now?” Her voice is equally as quiet, and the way she looks at him—it’s as if he is everything to her—and he savors it.

“That depends.” His voice lowers, and he leans in.

“On what?”

“On if you like me back.” He is inches away from her face and her lips tantalize him, a siren song that he needs to lose himself in.

Instead of answering, Rey closes the distance between them, capturing his lips with hers. Ben is drowning, adrift in the essence that is Rey and Rey alone. Her hands press against his chest and his body crowds her, leaning over her in the small carriage.

Boldly, he licks her lips, silently asking for permission to taste her. Her mouth opens and his tongue snakes with hers, both battling one another for submission. His hands lower from her face to her waist, lifting her so she is straddling him. The carriage wavers with the movement but he can’t seem to care. 

Her hips buck into his and he groans into her mouth, blood surging downward in response to her salacious movements. Rey wrenches her lips free from his, and kisses him along the jawline, stopping at his ear. 

Ben almost freezes, nervous over his large ears, and he wants to draw her mouth back to his, but then she takes his earlobe in her mouth, and instead, he whimpers as she nibbles on it. 

“I love your ears. I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw them when I put your hair up earlier,” she whispers into his hair. 

“Fuck, Rey,” he moans. His large hands slowly move under her shirt, giving her time to push him away if she doesn’t want it, but she doesn’t do it. His fingers ghost along her heated skin, and he can’t get over how  _ soft _ she is. His hands raise higher underneath her shirt until he can feel the soft swell of the bottom of her breasts. 

Ever so gently, his hands palm her chest and her back arches. His thumbs trace her nipples, excitement and pleasure coursing through him as he feels them pebble underneath his touch.

“Yes, Ben, please,” she moans into his ear, and his cock hardens in response to her breathy pleas. 

“God, I wish we were in my bedroom right now,” Ben sighs, throwing his head back as he feels Rey pepper kisses along his neck.

“And what would you do to me?” she asks in between the soft kisses.

“We are definitely wearing too many clothes for what I want to do to you. But maybe this is best, we can take it slow.” Uttering those words is the hardest thing he’s ever done, which is currently tied with pulling apart from Rey. Her lips are swollen and her hair, fuck, she looks debauched—and he loves it.

Her hazel eyes seem to still be in a daze, and he can’t stop the feeling of pride rising within him as he realizes he did that to her, and no one else. Hell, if he had it his way, no one except him will ever give her that look again. 

He lifts her gently, placing her on the seat next to him. As she settles into his side, he leaves one hand wrapped around her waist, the other on her hand. They sit in silence, heavy breathing slowing to a regular pace as they stare at the fairgrounds from above. 

"Ben, I appreciate that you want to take it slow, but I don't. Is that—"

Ben's lips are on hers before she has a chance to finish the sentence, and he is addicted to her now. He can't stop. Every whimper, every moan, it sears inside his brain.

"I won't do all the things I want to here," he whispers as he begins to place kisses along her neck, sucking on her pulse point as she keens underneath his ministrations. "But I'll do one of those things, if you want." As he talks, Ben's fingers trail downward, lingering on the button of her jean shorts. 

Rey's breath is coming out in hard gasps. He pulls away from her neck, her skin starting to bruise a delicious color that reminds him of fingers stained with blueberry juice. Unhurriedly and torturously she leisurely places her hands on his, and he places his head on her shoulder, waiting for her next move. 

His breath hitches as he feels her hand unbutton her shorts, and his heart stops beating altogether as she encases his hand and places it underneath the waistband of her underwear. 

"Please," she whispers. 

That one word destroys any kind of control he thought he possessed. Snaking his hand underneath her clothing, he covers her warm and wet center. Fingers graze her trimmed hair, gently searching for her bundle of nerves. When he presses on the swollen bud, she lets out a whimper. He trails downward, fingers dusting over her lips, and soon his digits are covered in her arousal. 

“You’re so wet. God, Rey, is this all just for me?” His voice is low, and he can’t keep the wonder and surprise out of his inflection. 

“Ben, I need more,” Rey begs.

He loves the sound of her asking for more. He wants to commit the sound to memory and make her beg over and over, but the logical side of his brain tells him he only has so long before the ride is over.

Ben finds her soaked entrance, and he glides his index finger inside of her. Her heat surrounds him and he can feel himself growing harder at the thought of another part of him being inside of her. 

“Fuck, Rey you feel amazing,” he groans, increasing the rhythmic thrust of his finger. 

She arches off of the plastic seat and Ben stares at her in amazement, taking in each minute change in her expression, making note of every whimper that escapes her mouth. He wants to know what she likes and what she doesn’t like, he wants to know what pushes her off the edge, and he wants to know how to please her in every way he possibly can. 

Her hands snake into his hair, squeezing it tightly between her fingers. It's just on the verge between pain and pleasure. Ben silences her whimpers with his lips, pressing firmly as he soaks up every noise she gives him. 

He pushes another finger in, and he is amazed at how easily she takes him. Rey's center wraps around him and easily adjusts. Curving his fingers within her, he presses against her g-spot, and she  _ gushes _ at the contact. Moving his thumb to her clit, he presses firmly while moving in circles and he can feel the way she clamps down on his fingers. 

Rey can't even seem to kiss him correctly at this point and he doesn't care. He focuses on her moans, centers himself on her heavy-lidded unfocused gaze, and presses her body close to his.

With a strangled cry she comes undone, eyes squeezing shut as Ben continues his attention on helping her ride out her orgasm until it is a gentle wave. 

He slips his fingers out and slides them upward, leaving a trail of her satisfaction on her skin. As she regains her breathing, he presses a quick kiss on her forehead, then draws his attention to the soaked fingers he used to give her the satisfied look on her face.

Without a second thought, he dips his fingers into his mouth and sighs at her perfect taste. He is addicted. Ben knows he will do everything to please her again and again and again. Licking up every last drop, his eyes open to catch her smiling softly at him. 

Rey leans forward, pressing a kiss against his lips, a chaste one, something startlingly different considering he just fingered her on a carnival ride. 

"Want to go back to my place tonight?" She murmurs against his lips, and he smiles.

Ben has no idea how he got from wanting to kill his father for pairing him up with Rey, to wanting to buy him a brand new car, yet here he is. 

"Watch out, you might give me the impression you want to keep me around," he jokes. 

"Hmmm," she pauses to think and he knows she's joking, but the hesitation still causes him to pause. "I definitely want to keep you around."

They laugh and kiss one another until the worker yells at them to get out of his ride. Ben feels his heart flutter as she talks away, swinging their hands between them. He makes a promise then and there, one day he will take her to see the beach they missed out on. 


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The HEA they deserve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This is the end. Shannon, I truly hope you loved this story and you enjoyed what I did with your prompt. There is no one I'd rather share AVPM/AVPS gifs with in a chat where no one knows what we are talking about lol Love you! Hope this was worth the wait <3
> 
> Many thanks to my two beta's who helped me. Their fics are amazing, and my goodness you need to check them out!  
>  [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/pseuds/RebelRebel)  
>  [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myjedilife)

Streaks of sunlight filter through the palm trees, waking Rey up from her peaceful slumber. She stretches languidly as she listens to the sounds of waves crashing against the sand through the open window. She lets out a content hum, snuggling further in the blankets, content to sleep just a bit more before the day starts. 

A long arm wraps around her, pulling her flush against her husband’s form. 

“It’s early,” he mumbles, “go back to sleep.” He presses a kiss against the nape of her neck and she hugs his arm in response. 

“I’m trying. You took a lot out of me last night,” she replies. Rey knows she doesn’t need a mirror to see mottled bruising dotted along her skin from their bedroom activities. “I don’t know how I’m going to wear my bikini without everyone staring at me like I’m some kind of deviant.”

Ben barks out a laugh, kissing her softly along her neck in an effort to seem contrite. “You didn’t seem to mind last night. As a matter of fact, I seem to recall you begging for more,” he smirks before lightly grazing his teeth along her skin.

The act alone causes a shiver to race along her spine, and heat rushes to her center. “Ben,” she whines. 

In response, he presses his hard and firm length against her naked body before rolling her underneath him.

The next ‘Ben’ she utters is entirely different. His lips press gentle kisses along each and every mark he left on her body the night before, whispering sweet nothings as his fingers trail up and down her skin. By the end of his ministrations, she is wet and wanting, and despite the pleasurable ache she feels between her legs, she is already spreading for more. 

“Insatiable, aren’t we, Mrs. Solo?” he whispers as he lines himself up to the opening of her swollen and damp cunt.

“Ben, please.”

“Need something, Sweetheart?” 

She wants to throttle him, kill him sweetly with his head between her thighs as she crushes his airways—the orgasm she will undoubtedly receive before his death will be worth it.

“You know what I want to hear.” His whisper is hot against her already flushed skin. She should really be used to the way he causes her heart to race, and the way she can’t seem to breathe when he seduces her like this, but after two years of being together, she still seems to find herself lost in him.

“Make your wife come, sweet Husband,” she manages to grit out as she feels his tip drag itself along her wet folds. 

In one smooth moment, he enters her, and the world falls silent as it does each time they make love. If she cared more, she would be embarrassed by how wet she has been their entire honeymoon, but the amount of orgasms they have given to each other has rendered her in a state of post-marital bliss. The stretch burns slightly, her cunt swollen, but then he moves within her and it is glorious, sweet, intimate, and fuck, he knows how to hit all her right spots. 

She clutches his shoulders, pushing his body further into hers, trying to form one unit as they slowly and tenderly silently tell one another how much they love one another.

_ You’re mine _ , his kisses silently say.

_ Always and forever _ , the nails scratching his back seem to respond. 

Their movements are languid and slow, like a stream on a spring day. 

“Ben, don’t stop,” she whispers.

“I would never,” he vows, pressing his lips against hers. His free hand snakes between them, rubbing and squeezing her swollen clit just the way she likes. 

They both reach their peak together, bodies shuddering silently with the sounds of the ocean as they come down. 

She can feel Ben pull out of her, leaving behind a sticky mess between her thighs. Instead of rolling back to his side of the bed, Ben wiggles lower along her body, finding a comfortable spot before he rests his head on her chest.

Her hands come up automatically to rake her fingernails through his thick hair as he sighs happily.

“Good morning,” he whispers, his breath ghosting over her nipples.

“You could say that.”

The indignant sound that tumbles out of his mouth causes her to laugh. God, this man is insufferable, but he is  _ her  _ insufferable man—and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“How are you liking our honeymoon?”

“Hmm, it could have been better if we finally went to your family’s beach house, but I guess I can wait, yet again.”

His teeth nip at her and she lets out a startled yelp that turns into a giggle.

“I’m kidding. I think this is just a bit better than the beach house,” she corrects.

“I think Hawaii may be more than just ‘a bit better.’”

Rey’s eyes look outside the window of their personal cabin. The crystal blue waves swell and crash, rushing along the dreamy white sands. The sun is higher in the sky, letting the world know it will be just another day in paradise. 

“You’re right,” she concedes, “it’s perfect.”

“I’ll have you know I’d only go to the beach for you. Sand is sand no matter where you go,” he mumbles. Rey glances down to see his eyes are closed and his breathing is evening out. 

Pressing a kiss against the crown of his head, she adjusts herself to be more comfortable as he falls back asleep. She knows she should get up and clean the mess between her thighs, pee to avoid infection, and she will. But right now, this moment is too perfect to ruin. 

“Love you, Ben.”

“Love you too, Scavenger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi and support me here - [tumblr](https://commandercrouton.tumblr.com/) or on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Cmndr_Crouton)!

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi and support me here - [tumblr](https://commandercrouton.tumblr.com/) or on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Cmndr_Crouton)!


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